3G0 PaSSERES. BIRDS. FRISGlLUDiK. 
THE TREE SPARROW {Passer montanus) is a, smaller 
l.iird than the house sparrow, to which it bears a con- 
siderable resemblance, hut is usually found at a dis- 
tance from human habitations, building its nest in the 
lioles of trees, and similar situations, and also in the 
deserted nests of magpies and crows. It has, however, 
been known to breed in company with the house 
sparrow in the thatch of a barn, or about other farm- 
buildings. In its general habits this species resembles 
its more familiar relative, but it is by no means an 
abundant bird in England, especially in the southern 
counties. It is found in the northern parts of the 
Eurojiean continent, and extends its range across 
Asia to Japan. 
THE AMADAVADE {Amadina Amandava), a native 
of India, and other parts of tropical Asia, is a beautiful 
little bird, measuring about four inches in length, of 
which the i-ather long wedge-shaped tail makes up one 
third. It has a bright red bill and red irides; the lower 
surface is red, and the upper brown, with numerous 
pure white spots. It is a sociable little bird, and is 
caught in great quantities and imported into Europe, 
its lively habits rendering it an amusing cage-bird. 
THE SPOTTED-SIDED FINCH {limadina Lathami), 
which is generally distributed in the southern parts of 
Australia, is of a brown colour above, with the top of 
the head gray, and the rump and upper tail-coverts 
scarlet. The lower surface is white, with a broad band 
across the breast and the flanks deep black, each 
feather of the latter having a large white spot at the 
tip. The tail is black. The length of the bird is about 
four inches and a half. The food of this Finch consists 
principally of the seeds of grasses, which it seeks upon 
the ground. It is remarkable for building its nest not 
unfrequently among the large sticks forming the lower 
portion of eagles’ nests, even during the period when 
the eagle is sitting ; and the little Finches may be seen 
perched upon the small twigs close to their formidable 
neighbour, who, however, does not appear to do them 
any harm. At other times the nest is built on the 
branch of a tree, when it is constructed of grasses, in 
a nearly spherical form, with a short spout on one side 
giving access to the interior. 
THE GOULDIAN FINCH {Amadlna G(Mldkv), one 
of the most beaufil'ul of the family of the Finches, is 
worthily dedicated by Mr. Gould to the memory of his 
wife, whose sympathy and aid had so much to do with 
'’the success of his earlier works. In this charming 
little bird the face and throat are black ; the back of 
the head and neck are verdigris-green ; the whole upper 
surface is yellowish-green, the lower surfixee rich yellow, 
with a band of a beautiful shining lilac-pur})le colour 
across the breast. The Gouldian Finch is a native of 
North Australia. It is still rare in collections, and 
nothing is known of its habits. 
THE BEAUTIFUL GRASS-FINCH {Poephila mirahilis), 
another North Australian species, is also a charming 
little bird. It has the head and face carmine red, the 
chin and throat black, and from the latter a narrow 
black line is given off, which borders the red of the 
back of the head. Behind this there is a narrow 
collar of pale blue. The back and wings are green, the 
rump and upper tail-coverts bright blue, the breast 
lilac, and the belly yellow. The primary quills of the 
wings and the central tail-feathers are blackish-brown. 
Of the latter the two middle ones are very long, and 
taper to a fine point. This last character occurs in the 
other species of Poephila, of which several are found 
in Australia. 
THE FIRE-TAILED FINCH {Estrelda lella), an inha- 
bitant of New South Wales and Van Diemen’s Land, 
is a pretty little species of an olive-brown colour above, 
and gi ay beneath, marked all over, but especially on 
the wings, tail, and lower surface, with transverse 
black lines. The rump and the base of the tail-feathers 
are scarlet ; the centre of the abdomen is black ; the 
eyes are surrounded by a black circle, from which a 
band runs to the base of the bill, and thence across the 
forehead, and the bill is crimson. This bird is seen in 
small parties both in the wooded gullies and in the 
gardens of the settlers, with whom it is a favourite. 
It feeds on the seeds of grasses and other plants which 
it picks up on the ground. The nest is of large size 
compared with its architect. It is domed, with an 
opening on one side near the top. The bird is sociable 
in its habits, several pairs usually biulding their nests 
close together on the same tree. 
THE RED-EARED FINCH {Estrelda ocula), an abun- 
dant species in Swan Kiver, is nearly allied to the 
preceding, from which, however, it is readily distin- 
guished by a red spot behind each eye, and by its 
having the feathers of the lower surface black, with a 
large white spot at the tip of each, so that the abdomen 
presents a sort of l)lack reticulated pattern upon a white 
ground. This bird hdiabits swampy places, and feeds 
upon seeds. 
THE JAVA SPARRCW {Oryzornis oryzivora), which 
is well known as a cage-bird in this country, is a 
native of Java and Malacca, and is about the size of our 
Greenfinch, which it further resembles in the thickness 
of its bright red bill. It has a black head, with an oval 
white spot on each cheek ; the plumage of the back 
and breast is of a fine bluish-gray, and that of the belly 
pale rose colour. The primaries and tail-feathers are 
black. In its native haunts it is said to be very 
destructive to the rice plantations, and hence the nan e 
of IliCE-isiKD is frequently given to it. 
THE WHITE-THROATED. SPARROW {Zonotrichia 
albicoUls), a native of the United States of North 
America, measures about six inches and a half in 
length, and has its plumage variegated with black, bay, 
ash-colour, and light-brown above ; white beneath, 
with the breast ash-colour. The chin is winte, and 
the head exhibits three white stripes. This bird winters 
in the southern states, where it haunts the rice fields, 
and advances to the northward in the summer to breed. 
THE SONG-SPARROW {Zonotrichia mdodiu), another 
species nearly allied to the preceding, is only partially 
migratory in the United States, where it is a very 
common bird. Its song, which commences very earl^ 
in the year, and is often continued throughout the 
whole summer and autumn, is described as very sweet 
although short, resembling the beginning of the 
Canary’s song, frequently repeated. Its plumage is 
variegated with black, brown, and yellow above ; the 
breast is marked with elongated pointed spots of dark 
