ESTRELBA BELLA. 



(¥ire-tailed Finch.) 



FoEEHEAD, lores, and a line round the eye, black ; upper surface, wings, and tail, dark olive brown, crossed by numerous bars of black ; rump 

 and base of the tail, bright scarlet ; under surface, grey, narrowly and minutely barred with black ; centre of abdomen and under tail coverts, 

 black ; bill, crimson ; irides, nearly black ; eyelash, light blue ; feet, flesh color. 



Length 4|- inches ; wing, 2i ; tail, 2 ; bill, f ; tarsus, |. 



Tasmania is the principal habitat of this beautiful finch, but it is found, though less abundantly, in all the south-eastern portions 

 of Australia. Like many of its congeners, it is usually to be seen upon the ground in small companies, its food being the seeds of grasses. 

 It forms a dome-shaped nest of a large size, having a hole near the top for entrance. The same is constructed of grasses and fine twigs, and 

 is placed in a low bush, frequently in a very exposed position. The eggs are five or six in number, fleshy white. Size, 8^ by 6^ lines. 

 Several broods are reared throughout the breeding season, which extends from September to January. 



ESTRELDA OCULEA. 



(Bed-eared MncJi.) 



Color and markings of the upper surface and tail, as in E. Bella ; a small patch of scarlet behind the eye ; throat and breast, light brown, 

 finely banded with black ; abdomen, black, with a large spot of white at the tip of each feather ; irides and bill, red ; the base of the upper 

 mandible, light grey ; eyelash, greenish blue ; legs, yellowish grey. 



Length, 4f inches ; wing, 2i ; tail, 2 ; bill, f ; tarsus, -§-. 



This species is found throughout Western Australia, to which portion of the continent it seems to be confined. It frequents 

 grassy situations in the neighborhood of swamps and rivers, and is more solitary in its habits than most of the others. 



ESTEELDA ANNULOSA. 



(Black-rumped Finch.) 



Face, ear coverts, and throat, white, surrounded by a jet black band ; chest, greyish white, immediately below which is a band of black ; 

 abdomen, white ; crown, back of the neck, and back, greyish brown, marked with numerous fine bars of greyish white ; rump and upper and 

 under tail coverts, black ; wings, blackish brown ; the wing coverts and secondaries, spotted thickly with greyish white ; bill and feet, 

 bluish lead color. 



Length, 4 inches ; wing, 2 ; tail, 2i ; bill, f ; tarsus, ^. 



This rare species is confined to the northern portions of Australia which lie to the west of the Gulf of Carpentaria. It 

 frequents grassy situations on the banks of rivers, feeding in small flocks from six to ten in number. 



ESTRELDA BICHENOVIL 



(Bicheno's Finch.) 



The description of E. Annulosa will apply for the most part to the present species, but it may be distinguished from the former by the white 

 patch on the rump, and by its having the transverse markings on the back more clearly defined. In size it is also similar. 



This species is found in the interior of the northern portions of New South Wales and the southern portions of Queensland, 

 specimens having been (though rarely) obtained near Brisbane. It is always to be found feeding upon the ground, usually in small flocks, 

 and when disturbed, flies off" among the bushes. Its food consists of the seeds of grasses and plants of various kinds. 



[OVEK. 



