THE AUSTRALIAN FIRE-TAILED FINCH. 151 



somewhat resemble both in colouring and actions ; they are, however, 

 much more retiring and less active than that lovely little Waxbill. 

 The note is clear but not very varied, but this species appears to be 

 fairly hardy, which is a great recommendation. 



Respecting the habits of the Crimson-wing, in a wild state, next 

 to nothing seems to be known ; but Von Heuglin says it is a resident 

 bird in Bongo, and occurs here and there in pairs in tall forest and 

 scrub. 



Mr. Wiener says: "In the L/ondon Zoological Gardens the first 

 Crimson-winged Waxbills were received in 1874. I have had them 

 before that date more than once, and Dr. Russ had one bird of this 

 species in 1870. Dr. Russ succeeded in breeding the Crimson- winged 

 Waxbill, and in my aviary one pair built a nest and laid four eggs 

 late in autumn, which nest I had, unfortunately, to destroy. Whilst 

 Dr. Russ found his Pytelia phcenicoptera building their nest in a nest- 

 box, mine built theirs, in a rather artistic manner, in the sunniest part 

 of their summer aviary in a bush. Cold weather coming on, I was 

 obliged to shut the birds into their winter quarters and to separate 

 them from their pretty little nest and four pure white eggs." 



No additional information of importance is given in Dr. Russ' 

 larger book on Foreign Cage-birds. 



Illustration from skin in the Natural History Museum. 



AUSTRALIAN FIRE-TAILED FINCH. 



Zon&ginthus bellus, L/ATH. 



T ATHAM called this the Black-lined Grosbeak, a very misleading 

 .L name : it occurs, according to Ramsay, in New South Wales ; 



South Australia ; Interior Province to Wide Bay District. 



The male above is brown narrowly barred with blackish ; the 



primaries only indistinctly barred with lighter brown on the outer 



