52 
Subfamily ? 
Genus Cincloramphus. 
Bill rather shorter than the head ; culmen slightly arched ; the 
tip distinctly notched ; the commissure slightly angulated at the 
base, and somewhat incurved for the remainder of its length; 
nostrils , lateral, oval ; wings moderate, rigid, first quill very long and 
nearly equal to the second and third, which are the longest ; tertials 
nearly as long as the primaries ; tail rather small and cuneiform ; 
tarsi very strong and scutellated anteriorly ; toes long and powerful, 
particularly the hinder one and claw, which is articulated on the 
same plane with the inner toe; lateral toes nearly equal. 
The members of this genus, which are three in number, are closely 
allied to the Indian genus Megalurus , and present even a greater 
disparity in the size of the sexes ; they are all confined to Australia, 
where they frequent the grassy plains and open districts. The song 
of the males is more animated than that of any other bird inhabiting 
the country. 
227. Cincloramphus cruralis Vol. III. PI. 74. 
228. Cincloramphus cantillans, Gould .... Vol. III. PI. 75. 
229. Cincloramphus rufescens, Gould .... Vol. III. PI. 76. 
Subfamily ALAUDIN7E. 
Genus Mirafra. 
One, if not two, species of this well-defined genus inhabit Australia. 
At present one only has been characterized ; but the bird of this 
form, frequenting the intertropical portions of the country, may prove 
to be a distinct species. 
230. Mirafra Horsfieldii, Gould Vol. III. PI. 77. 
Family FRINGILLIDiE. 
The Finches of Australia comprise twenty well-marked species, 
referable to several genera or subgenera, each of which exhibit a 
slight difference in structure, accompanied, as is always the case, by 
a difference in habit, and in the districts inhabited; thus the true 
Estreldce frequent grassy patches in the glades of the forests, the 
open parts of gullies, &c. ; the Amadince , the stony hills and flats ; the 
Poephilee , the grass beds of the open plains; and the Donacolce , the 
grasses of the marshy districts and reed-beds : of the habits of Em- 
blema nothing is known ; its pointed bill indicates some peculiarity 
in its economy differing from those of the other genera. 
All the species build, I believe, large grassy nests with a spout- 
like opening. 
The whole of those figured are peculiar to Australia. 
