THE NATURALIST IN AUSTRALIA. 



possession. In this illustration a pair of the black-headed variety, the original Poephila 

 Gouldte, occupy a position side by side of one another in the lower portion of the 

 picture, while two males and a female of the red or scarlet-headed race, the typical 

 Poephila mirabilis, are depicted immediately above them. The females of both these 

 species or varieties are readily distinguished, in their adult garb, by their relatively 

 sober tints which to many tastes are more pleasing than the brilliant contrasts presented 

 by their partner's plumage. The rich violet and cadmium yellow, common to the 

 breasts of the males of both types, is replaced in the females by a delicate satiny 

 lilac-pink and pale primrose. In P. mirabilis, the brilliant scarlet-carmine head 

 adornment of the male bird is represented in the females by a patch of feathers of a 

 darker ruby red, which would appear to rarely occupy as extensive an area as obtains 

 in the male. In both varieties it is further notable that the bright grass green 

 plumage of the back in the male individuals is replaced by a darker grey or olive in 

 the females, and there is also in the latter sex a corresponding relative softening of 

 the tone of the narrow band of colour which encircles the head immediately behind 

 the black or scarlet, and which, in the male birds, placed in different lights, reflects 

 the most brilliant tints of emerald green or turquoise blue. In a second larger picture 

 of these Finches, executed for the author by Mr. Keulemans, the birds, some dozen in 

 number, are posed in a semi-circle, and constitute so perfect a prismatic arch of 

 colour that the painting has been appropriately entitled "An Avian Rainbow." 



Mr. Gould's personal acquaintanceship with these tropical Australian finches was 

 limited to the possession of preserved skins supplied to him by his agent and co- 

 adjutator, Mr. Gilbert, from whom he also received a few meagre data relating to 

 their habits. Had Mr. Gould lived but a few years longer and availed himself, as he 

 probably would have done, of the opportunities that would have been at his disposal of 

 observing the living birds, he would doubtless have placed on record an account of 

 some of the phenomena chronicled in this Chapter. 



Anticipating that full particulars concerning these birds would be probably 

 included in Dr. A. G. Butler's Monograph of " Foreign Finches in Captivity " (Eeeve and 

 Co.), of which six parts have been published, the author consulted that work. Although, 

 however, containing much information relating to the many attempts, few of them 

 successful, to breed these finches in this country, and the testimony recorded by various 

 authorities concerning the specific distinction or otherwise of the Black and Scarlet-headed 

 forms, the work makes no mention whatever of their pronounced vocal talents and 

 remarkable terpsichorean accomplishments. Dr. Butler's omission of reference to these 



