THK DIAMOND SPARROW. 179 



when breeding is improbable ; as far as that goes, my birds were well 



off: a cage three feet long, by two high and two deep, ought to 



answer as well for the heavy Grass-finches, as for the more active 

 Waxbills. 



Illustrations from living specimens formerly, or at present, in the 

 author's possession. 



THE DIAMOND SPARROW. 



Steganopleura guttata, SHAW. 



T "ATHAM called this beautiful bird the " White-headed Finch " and 

 J r gave it the name of Fringilla leucocephala, but Dr. Sharpe has 

 rejected the latter, on accovint of the inaccuracy of the description 

 which accompanies it. It inhabits South Australia to New South 

 Wales, and north to the Wide Bay District. Miss Marie Fraser 

 informed me that in Queensland it was extremely common, flying out 

 of the bushes in small companies as one approached ; nevertheless, 

 since the importation of Gouldian Finches commenced, it seems to 

 have been less often imported, a standing order for a pair having had 

 no result for three years in succession. Recently a few have come 

 over again. 



The general colouring above is mouse-brown, greyer on the head; 

 a black streak from the base of the upper mandible to the eye ; the 

 lower back and upper tail-coverts fiery carmine red ; the tail intense 

 black ; under parts snow-white, with a broad belt of jet black across 

 the chest ; sides of body black, each feather marked externally with a 

 snow-white semi-circular spot ; the entire length 4 T 3 iT inches. Beak 

 crimson, legs greyish-brown ; iris red. 



The hen differs, as Mr. Abrahams has pointed out, in its slightly 

 narrower head, and in having the base of the upper mandible narrowly 

 rose-pink. (In order to distinguish them readily, the birds must be 



