RED-BROWED FINCH (WAX-BILL). 
Nest. The usual bulky bottle-shaped structure, composed of dried grasses, although often 
green grass is used, and lined inside with feathers and fine grass. Generally placed 
in a small tree or bush. Dimensions over all : 12 to nearly 14 inches long, by 
16 to 20 inches in circumference at the thickest part. 
Breeding-months. September to January. 
Although this bird appeared many times among the Wathng drawings, and 
one of these (No. 166) was stated to be the type of Latham’s description of his 
Temporal Finch by Sharpe {Hist. Coll. Nat. Hist. Brit. Mus., Vol. II., p. 138, 
1906), the species appears to have been described from the paintings of General 
Davies, as the quotation given by Sharpe at the above place suggests. 
Sharpe, however, recorded Watling’s note ; “ Native name is Goo-hmg-ag-ga. 
It is a very common bird in New South Wales, easily domesticated, and of a 
lively disposition even when in a cage, and in a day or two it is easily 
reconciled”; and another note to another drawing (No. 168): “Native name 
Deroo-gnan.” 
Vigors and Horsfield -syrote: “ ‘ This bird,’ says IMr. Caley, ‘ which the 
settlers call Red-bill, is gregarious, and appears at times in very large flocks. 
I have killed above forty at a spot. They frequently visited my garden in the 
winter to feed on a species of grass-seed.’ ” 
Govdd added: “ This species of Finch is very generally spread over the 
gardens and all such open pasture lands of New South Wales and South Australia 
as abound in grasses and small plants, upon the seeds of which it chiefly 
subsists. It is particularly abmidant in the neighbourhood of Sydney ; even 
in the Botanic Garden numbers may always be seen flitting from border 
to border.” 
Capt. S. A. White writes: “Is widely distributed over Australia and is 
to be met with in the ranges as well as on the plains. Near the seashore but 
not through the hiterior. Have met with the bird in the great forests of 
Queensland and out on our dry, open plains. It is plentiful in the Mount 
Lofty Ranges. Builds a large grass nest in September and October, feeds on 
the gromid upon grain and weed seeds.” 
Mr. Edwin Ashby has written: “ One of our commonest Finches in the 
Mt. Lofty Ranges. Its favourite haimts are along watercourses, building 
its large grass nest with tubular entrance in the thick tea-trees overhanging 
the water. Last Christmas we found nests with fresh-laid eggs as well as those 
with yoimg. This species was very numerous in the Blackall Ranges, 
Queensland, but the birds were smaller and more brightly colom-ed than South 
Australian specimens,” 
Mr. F. E. Howe WTote: “ Is very plentiful, and small flocks are always 
met with in any part of the district, but more generally along the creeks or 
221 
