138 FOREIGN FINCHES IN CAPTIVITY. 



Parson, Zebra, and Cherry-finches of Australia utterly disregard very 

 severe frosts, provided that they have plenty of space for exercise and 

 boxes to which, if they desire, they can retire at night. 



Illustration from living specimens and several skins in the author's 

 collection. 



THE AUSTRALIAN FIRE-FINCH. 



Neochmia phaeton, HOMER. ET 



THIS species is an inhabitant of Northern Australia, ranging from 

 the north-west to Cape York, and to Rockingham Bay, and 

 Port Denison. Its general colour is crimson, brightest on the upper 

 tail-coverts, base of forehead, sides of face and sides of body below ; 

 above, the lower back is brown, as are the primaries ; the tail feathers 

 have dusky inner webs; the crown and back of head are dull brown, 

 blacker in front ; the sides of the breast are spotted with white ; the 

 centre of the lower body black ; the under wing-coverts yellowish ; the 

 flight feathers below dusky, with yellowish inner webs. Length 5 

 inches. Beak carmine, broadly whitish at base ; legs ochreous, reddish 

 in front. 



The female is paler than the male, greyer on the back; with 

 greyish-brown throat and chest, but with similar white spots at the 

 sides of the breast ; the flanks lighter, tinged with crimson and more 

 numerously spotted than in the male; the breast and abdomen buff 

 whitish. 



Mr. Gould says: "This species is an inhabitant of the moist 

 grassy meadows, particularly where the Pandanus (Screw Pine) is 

 abundant. It is generally found feeding among grass, and when dis- 

 turbed invariably takes to those trees. From July to November it is 

 observed in large flocks, sometimes of several hundreds ; but although 

 great numbers were shot during this period, not more than three 



