i86


they themselves quickl)^ pulled to pieces. Once again they set

to work, and tried to build in a pot containing a geranium ; but

the plant did not leave them sufficient room, so I placed a little

Idox by its side, of which they thankfully took possession, and in

which they built — a squatting-place, so there is an end of the

matter for this summer.


It was the nest built by the second pair which has been

pictured by our artist, who has artfully brought into prominence

•one of the seeming peculiarities of the species, the profuse use

■of feathers in the building of the nest, the whole interior of each

nest having been very thickly lined with them. Last year my

pair of Long-tails never touched a feather in the construction

■either of their squatting-places, or of two nests which they built

late in the year : and Mr. Todd's experience in this respect seems

to have been similar (Vol. iii., p. 210). But this year the male of

at any rate one of my two pairs has occasionally been seen with

a feather in his bill ; the Parson Finch, I think, often uses a few

feathers ; but neither species of Gouldian has ever touched a

feather with me.


The following is a rough description of the White-eared

Orassfinch. Upper parts a rather dark fawn, darker and more

glossy on the crown ; lower back, upper and under tail-coverts,

white, with some black on the sides of the upper coverts ; tail

feathers black with brownish bases, graduated ; a black mask

round base of bill, as in pasonata ; cheeks and ear-coverts,

silvery white ; chest, breast, etc., white washed with light buff,

especially across the chest ; a large black flank-patch with white

blotch in front ; iris, dark brown ; bill, whitish yellow in life, and

much lighter than in personata, but in skin dull and inclined to

iDlackish ; feet and legs, coral red ; length, slightly over 4J inches.

Sexes alike ; and in this it possibly differs ixom personata, for my

male personata has much the larger and more curved bill, and

seems to be the larger bird. M}^ male lezicotis occasionally

seems to be stouter in the chest than the females ; but now that

the nesting is over I am often quite unable to pick him out

from amongst the others. Although usually remarkably peace-

able, lately they have taken to quarrel when going to roost ; the

male commenced by ejecting the male Mask whilst retaining the

female in the Mormon bed-chamber — and I retaliated by removing

the Masks, male and female. And again later the Widow has

been forbidden the family sleeping-box, and has philosophicallj^

built a little squatting-place for herself on the floor behind the,

bottom of one of the window curtains.



