THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA 
198 
6. Star Finch Bathilda ruficauda Gould 
Bath-il'-da — from a girl's name (Fr.), relation or sister of Prince Lucien 
Bonaparte: ru-fi-caud'-a — L., rufus, red; L., cauda, tail. 
Distribution. — Northern Australia, as far south as New South Wales 
on the east and the Coongan River on the west. 
Notes. — Also called Red-faced Finch and Red-tailed Finch. Usually 
in pairs or flocks, frequenting chiefly grass-lands bordering watercourses. 
It is generally seen on the ground searching for the seeds of grasses and 
other plants. It has a feeble call-note, somewhat like that of the Grey- 
breasted Silver-eye. 
Nest. — A bottle-shaped structure, composed of dried grasses; lined 
with fine grasses and feathers. Generally placed in a low tree or a bush. 
Eggs . — Three to five, white. Breeding-season: probably September 
to January. 
7. Blue-faced Finch Erythura trie hr oa Kittlitz 
E-ryth-ur-a — Gk, erythos, red; Gk, ura ( oura ), tail: tri-chro’-a — Gk, 
tri, three ; Gk, chroa , colour. 
Distribution. — Northern Queensland (Cape York to Cairns district) ; 
also occurs in the Molucca Islands, New Guinea, Solomon Islands, New 
Hebrides, Loyalty Islands, Caroline Islands, and Bismarck Archipelago. 
Notes. — Also called Tricoloured Parrot-finch. Only four records are 
known of the occurrence of this Finch in Australia. Probably these 
records are of stragglers as this species has not otherwise been observed. 
In the islands they are plentiful, and congregate in pairs or flocks, and 
nest in the gardens of the settlers and natives. 
Nest . — A neat, rounded structure, with a small entrance at the side, 
composed of fibre or grass ; lined with soft materials. Generally placed 
in shrubs or in mango trees. 
Eggs. — Three to six, white. Breeding-season : not recorded. 
8. Plum-headed Finch Aidemosyne modesta Gould 
Ai-de-mos -y-ne — Gk, aidemosyne, modesty : mod-est'-a — L., modestus, 
modest. 
Distribution. — From Queensland to Victoria. 
Notes . — Also called Modest Finch, Cherry Finch, Plain-coloured 
Finch, and Diadem Finch. Usually in pairs or small flocks, frequenting 
grass-lands and the open areas bordering watercourses. It is generally 
seen feeding either on or near the ground on the seeds of grasses and 
other plants. The female is much duller in coloration than the male, and 
does not possess the blackish chin. 
Nest . — A bottle-shaped structure, composed of dried grasses ; lined 
with feathers. Generally built in tall grass, among thistles, or in a low 
bush. 
Eggs. — Five to seven, white. Breeding-season : September to 
January. 
