EMBLEMA PICTA, Gould. 
Painted Finch. 
Emblema picta, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., 1842. 
This beautiful Finch is a native of the north-west coast of Australia, where it was procured by B. Bynoe, 
Esq. The single individual sent me by that gentleman, and which I have drawn in two different posi- 
tions, was unaccompanied by any account whatever of its habits and economy ; but we may reasonably infer 
from the lengthened and pointed form of its bill, that the kind of food upon which it subsists will be some- 
what different from that of the other Australian Finches. My readers will not fail to observe how singular 
is the disposition of the colouring in the present bird, the under parts being extremely beautiful, while on 
the upper, which is generally the most highly ornamented, a more than ordinary degree of plainness 
prevails. 
Face and throat deep vermilion red ; the base of all the feathers of the throat black, giving that part a 
mingled appearance of black and red ; crown of the head, all the upper surface and wings brown ; rump 
deep vermilion red; tail dark brown; chest and all the under surface jet-black, the flanks numerously 
spotted with white, and the centre of the abdomen dashed with deep vermilion red ; feet light red ; upper 
mandible black, under mandible scarlet, with a triangular patch of black at the base. 
The figures are of the natural size. 
