BIRDS OF THE REED-BEDS AND GRASS-LANDS 
201 
15. Black-throated Finch Poephila cincta Gould 
cinc-ta — L., cinctus, banded. 
Distribution. — Queensland and New South Wales. 
Notes. — Also called Parson Finch and Black-throat. Usually in pairs 
or flocks, frequenting grass-lands bordering watercourses and open coun- 
try. It is very similar in habits to the Masked Finch. Food: seeds of 
grasses and other plants. 
Nest. — A bottle-shaped structure, composed of dried grasses; lined 
with feathers. Generally built in tall grass, a low bush, or a small tree. 
Eggs. — Five to nine, white. Breeding-season : August to December. 
16. Black-tailed Finch Poephila atropygialis Diggles 
a-tro-pyg-i-a-lis — L., ater, black; Gk, pyge , rump, tail. 
Distribution. — Northern Queensland (Normanton). 
Notes. — Also called Diggles’ Finch and Black-rumped Finch. It is 
similar in habits and economy to the Black-throated Finch. 
Nest. — A bulky, flask-shaped structure, composed of dried grasses, 
twigs, and leaves of small plants; lined with fine hair-like seed-tops of 
grasses. Generally built in tall grass, a bush, or in a pandanus palm-tree. 
Eggs. — Six to nine, white, often tinged with faint green. Breeding- 
season: August to January, and often as late as April or even June. 
17. Long-tailed Finch Poephila acuticauda Gould 
ac-u'-ti-caud'-a — L., acutus, sharp; L., cauda, tail 
Distribution. — North-western Australia and Northern Territory. 
Notes. — Also called Long-tailed Grass-finch, frequenting open country 
and grass-lands bordering watercourses. It is very similar in habits and 
economy to the Black-throated Finch. A red-billed variety of this Finch 
inhabits the Northern Territory. 
Nest. — A bottle-shaped structure, composed of dried grasses; lined 
with a few feathers. Generally built in tall grass, in a low bush or tree, 
or in a pandanus palm-tree. 
Eggs. — Five or six, white. Breeding-season: September to January, 
and earlier or later according to the conditions of the season and the 
rainfall. 
18. Crimson Finch Neochmia phaeton Hombron and Jacquinot 
— 18A. Female 
Ne-ocli-mi-a — Gk, neochmia, change: pha-et-on — Gk, phaethon, shining. 
Distribution. — Tropical northern Australia (except Cape York 
Peninsula). 
Notes . — Also called Blood Finch. Usually in pairs or flocks, fre- 
quenting grass-lands bordering watercourses. It is generally seen in cane 
grass and pandanus palm-trees; feeds on the seeds of grasses and other 
plants, also on termites. 
