Vol. II 

 1902 



•1 Hall, Notes on Bird-Skins from N. IV. Ai/sira/ia. 57 



With the other pair the female remained inside the skeleton 

 nest and built in the material as her mate brought it. At times 

 he went inside to help her. All are in beautiful plumage. 



On 27th September I found a nest with eggs in a low 

 pandanus palm near the river's (Fitzroy) edge. It was made of 

 pandanus fine rootlets and paper bark, and lined with soft paper 

 bark (of a species of tea-tree). 



I find the young just now (22/8/00) to be very common, but 

 there are no nests as far as I can trace.] 



73. MUNIACASTANEITHORAX (Gould), Chestnut-breasted Finch. 



Donacola castaneothorax^ Gould, Birds Aust., fol, vol. ill., pi. 94 



(i«48). 

 Munia cas/aneithorax, Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus , vol. xiu., p. 340 



(1890). 

 One adult male, lo/io/oi. 



74. MUNiA PECTORALIS (Gould), White-breasted Finch. 



Donacola pectoralis, Gould, Birds Aust., fol., vol. iii.. pi. 95 (1848). 

 Munia pcctoralis, Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., vol. xiii., p. 354 

 (1S90). 



Two adult males, 28/3/00. 



One specimen has eleven obsolete bars upon each of the two 

 inner secondaries of each wing. They are but slightly browner 

 than the interspaces, which cover about the same area as the 

 bars. They may serve as ancestral marks. 



[On 2/4/00 I found a nest being built. On the 4th inst. it 

 had a very unfinished appearance, but contained one egg. On 

 the 15th inst. it contained six eggs. The birds were still adding 

 to the nest, as I saw one carry a stem of grass while I watched. 

 There was no lining, and it was placed in a spinifex bush. The 

 roof was the thickest part of the nest, which measured extern- 

 ally y -s. y s. •/ inches ; internally, 5x5x4 inches.] 



75. Stictoptera annulosa (Gould), Black-ringed Finch. 



Estrelda anmilosa, Gould, Birds Aust, fol., vol. iii., pi. 81 (1848). 

 Stictoptera a7tniitosa., Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., vol. xiii., p. 314 

 (1890). 



Adult female, 1 6/2/00. 

 Fledgling, not sexed, 4/7/01. 



Fledgling. — -Although it is just about to leave the nest for the 

 first time, it has in every respect a likeness to the parents, which 

 are strongly contrasted and prettily marked in white, black, and 

 brown, It helps to show how early the young of birds which 

 sit upon their eggs in a covered nest mature. Dorsally there is 

 no difference except in so far that the young has a brown 

 instead of a black forehead. The whole under surface is cream 

 coloured, with traces of the two adult bands. The cream above 

 the pectoral band, as well as that above the throat band, will 

 need to differentiate and become white, as in adults. The sides 



