THE AUSTRALIAN FIRE-TAILED FINCH. 153 



"Tasmania may be considered the principal habitat of the species, 

 for it is universally and numerously dispersed over all parts of that 

 island suited to its habits and economy. It also inhabits New South 

 Wales, but is there far less abundant. I generally observed it in 

 small communities, varying from six to a dozen in number, searching 

 on the ground for seeds of grasses, and other small plants, which 

 grow on the plains and open parts of the forest. It also frequents 

 the gardens and pleasure-grounds of the settlers, with whom it is a 

 favourite, few birds being more tame or more beautifully coloured 

 than this little Finch ; the brilliant scarlet of the runip, and base of 

 the tail-feathers, strongly contrasting with the more sombre hue of the 

 body. Its flight is extremely rapid and arrow-like, particularly when 

 crossing a plain, or passing down a gully. It is a stationary species 

 in Tasmania and probably also in New vSouth Wales. In the former 

 country I constantly found it breeding in communities, my attention 

 being usually attracted by the enormous nests, which they built 

 among the branches of shrubby trees, without the slightest attempt 

 at concealment. They are constructed entirely of grasses and stalks 

 of grass, dome-shaped in form, with a hole near the top for the 

 ingress and egress of the bird. The eggs are five or six in number, 

 rather lengthened in form, and of a beautiful flesh-white, eight and a 

 half lines long and six and a half lines broad. It breeds from 

 September to January, during which period two or three broods are 

 reared. Its note is a single mournful sound, emitted while perched 

 on the low branches of the trees in the neighbourhood of its feeding 

 places." 



Mr. North writes: "Tasmania is the stronghold of this species, 

 but it is also found on the Australian Continent. A nest of this 

 species was taken at Hornaby on the Qth of November, 1866. The 

 nest is a large structure, composed exteriorly of long pieces of coarse 

 dried grasses, lined with others of a finer description, it has a long 

 narrow neck, ten inches in length, by two inches and a half in width; 

 the nest proper which is globular, measuring seven inches through 

 external diameter ; it was built in a native broom, about ten feet from 

 the ground. Eggs five in number for a sitting, pure white, elongated 

 in form, being nearly equal in size at both ends. The breeding 

 season commences in September and continues until the end of 

 December." 



Dr. Russ says: "I first received, in 1875, from Miss Hagenbeck, 

 an Ornamental Finch, which delighted me with its soft beauty, still 

 more by its tame unusually confiding demeanour. 



