CHESTNUT-EARED FINCH. 
Ri\er, Nortliern Territory, on the 2nd of June, 1913, is white, possessing a very pale 
bluish tinge, whicli is typical for this species. Ovals in shape. Surface of shell 
fine and smooth, and almost entirely devoid of gloss. 14 by 10 mm. 
Nest, The usual bottle-shaped structure, built on its side, and composed of dried grasses 
and soft delicate stalks of plants, and lined with thin soft grasses and feathers. 
Generally placed in a bush or small tree, and frequently witliin hand’s reach of the 
ground. Dimensions over all: 10 to 13 inches or more in length, bv 15 inches in 
circumference at the widest part. 
Bvcedhig-months, (June to) August to December, though the seasons are greatly 
influenced by the rains. 
Gould described this pretty little Finch from the interior of Now South 
Wales before he went to Australia, and afterwards wrote : “ This bird appears 
to be ahnost peculiar to the interior of Australia ; among other places it uihabits 
the large plains of the north of the Liverpool range and is particularly abundant 
about Brezi and the banks of the river Mokai; but that it sometimes occurs 
on the southern side of the range is proved by my having IdUed five specimens 
on the Upper Hunter. It has also been fomid, though very sparingly, at Swan 
River, and a specimen is contained in the collection formed by ilr. Bynoe at 
Port Essington. It passes much of its time on the gromid, and feeds upon 
the seeds of various lands of grasses. On the plains it congregates in small 
flocks and evinces a decided preference to those spots where the trees are thinly 
dispersed and grasses abundant. The Chestnut-eared Finch is one of the 
smallest of the genus (family) yet discovered in Australia; it is also 
one of the most beautiful, and in the chasteness of its colouring can 
scarcely be excelled.” 
Captain S. A. ^\hite says: “This is the most numerous bird m some 
loeahties in the far north and interior of Australia; the writer has seen them 
m thousands. Diuing a dry summer they can be seen coming in to water in 
hundreds of thousands, their sharp little metallic note vibrating everywhere 
from thousands of thi’oats as they take flight. Tliis bird seems to breed almost 
at any time of the year, builds a grass nest, but, imlilce many others of the 
Finch family, it is loose and small. The distribution is a very wide one, from 
sea coast to Central Ecgidmi and through to the coast on the other side, 
inhabiting heavj?- rainfall country and into the desert. 
Hr. Thos. P. Austin has vuitten from Cobbora, New South Wales : “ Years 
ago I have seen this species here in flocks of almost thousands, but usually only 
small flocks of six to a dozen birds are to be met with, mostly in my garden 
at any time of the year, but most of them disappear before they breed, in fact, 
very few of them breed here ; those that do, build their nest in a hollow 
branch of a dead tree. One evening I saw a bird enter a hole in a dead tree 
175 
