156 TS'ATUEAL HISTOBY SKETCHES. 



throughout the summer, over the honeysuckle and shey- 

 oak scrub, where they bred, and in the autumn they 

 congregated previous to leaving. The beak of all these 

 birds is thick, of a reddish colour, having the appearance 

 of being moulded in wax, whence their name. None of 

 them had any song, but merely a call-note, or chirp. 



We had also another little Black-and-White FincTi, 

 something in appearance resembling the last bird, but 

 of a much duller colour ; with no red on the rump or 

 spots on the side, and the beak was dark. It was a very 

 common little bird with us, used to congregate in large 

 flocks on the plains and open meadow-land, flew in jerks, 

 like the wagtail at home, and appeared to remain with us 

 throughout the year. 



However monotonous the call of the Diamond Sparrow 

 may sound in the ears of that man who has always been 

 accustomed to the rich melody of the various warblers 

 that frequent the groves and thickets of Europe during 

 the summer season, it brings with it a cheery welcome 

 to the bushman, as the first notice of the arrival of the 

 birds of summer into this part of Australia, one of our 

 earliest spring migrants. This elegant little bird fre- 

 quents the large gums and honeysuckles ; generally in 

 open situations, rarely in the depths of the forest, among 

 the branches and leaves of which it runs after the 

 manner of the British titmouse, continually uttering its 

 monotonous call-note, " Twit, twit, twit," loudly and 

 quickly repeated. It is a pretty little bird, about the 

 size of the guinea-hen finch; the upper plumage ash- 



