Weaver- Birds and Whydahs. 



57 



CORDON BLEU OR CRIMSON-EARED WAXBILt. 



have one cock bird living, and skins do not satisfactorily show slight 

 differences. 



Dufresne's Waxbill (Coccopygia du/resnei). 



The female differs from the male in having no black on the head, 

 the sides of the head being grey like the crown, and fading into white 

 on the chin, upper and middle throat. It is also rather smaller. 



CHAPTER XI. 



GRASS-FINCHES {Estrildince). 



The following, which have been referred to the Waxbill s at 

 various times, appear to be all true Grass-Finches : — 



Australian Fire-Finch (Neochmia phaeton), 



The female is paler than the male, greyer on the back, with 

 greyish -brown throat and chest; the flanks paler, tinged with 

 crimson, and more numerously spotted than in the male ; the breast 

 and abdomen buff- whitish. 



Rufous-tailed Grass-Finch (Bathilda ruficauda). 



This bird received its Australian name of Star-Finch on account 

 of its being mistaken for an Astrild, the spots on its body being 

 inconspicuous, especially when compared with the succeeding 

 species or the Diamond Sparrow. The male is more brightly 

 coloured than the female, in which the vermilion on the face is 

 limited to the forehead, lores, and a broad ring enclosing the eye. 



Painted Finch (Emblema picta). 



The hen differs from the cock in having no scarlet on the cheeks 

 or throat ; the latter, as well as the front of the neck, black, spotted 

 with white ; body below browner, more freely spotted with white, 

 the breast with only a tinge of scarlet ; it is also slightly smaller. 



