POEPHILA PERSONATA, Gould. 
Masked Grass Finch. 
Poeplula per sonata, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., February 8, 1842. 
This beautiful and well-marked species of Grass Finch is also a native of the north-west coast of Australia, 
where several specimens were shot hy Mr. Gilbert during an excursion from Port Essington towards the 
interior of the country, who states that it inhabits grassy meadows near streams, feeding on grass-seeds, 
See. It was tolerably abundant, being congregated in flocks of from twenty to forty. When on the wing it 
utters a very feeble cry of twit, twit, twit, hut at other times pours forth a drawn-out mournful note, like 
that of the Estreldas. 
The sexes are scarcely to he distinguished by their outward appearance, both possessing the masked face ; 
the female is, however, rather less in size, and her markings are not quite so brilliant or decided as those 
of the male. 
Base of the hill surrounded hy an irregular ring of deep velvety black ; crown of the head, upper surface 
and wings light cinnamon-brown ; lower part of the abdomen banded with deep velvety black ; lower 
part of the rump and under tail-coverts white ; upper tail-coverts white, striped longitudinally with black 
on the outer side ; tail deep blackish brown ; irides of the old birds red, of the young birds dark brown ; 
bill bright orange ; legs and feet fleshy red. 
In some specimens the upper and lower ridges of the bill are black, while in others the basal half only is 
orange, the remaining portion being brown. 
The figures are those of a male and a female of the natural size. 
