BLACK-THROATED FINCH, 
Alisieranus cinchis airopygiulis Mathews, Nov. ZooL, Vol. XVIII., p. 433, 1912 ; id., IJst 
Birds Aiistr., p. 304, 1913. 
Alisteranus cinctv,^ nigi^otechis Mathews, Nov. Zool., Vol. XVIII., p. 433, 1912; id.. List 
Birds Austr., p. 303, 1913. 
Alisteranus neglectm Mathews, Austral Av. Rec., Vol. II., p. 137, 1915. 
Alisteranus cAncius maclennani Mathews, Austral Av. Rec., Vol. III., pt. 6, p. 159, June 
25th, 1918; Watson River, North Queeasland. 
Distribution. Queensland, New South Wales. 
Adult male. Hoad, back, and sides of the neck light leaden-grey ; cheeks and ear-coverts 
lighter grey ; upper mantle light reddish-chestnut; lower back, wing-coverts and 
scapulars chestnut-brown ; rump and upper tail-coverts black ; tail glossy purplish- 
black ; lores, chin and throat glossy bronze-black, forming a “ bib ”; chest, upper 
breast and sides of the body reddish-chestnut, a large patch of black feathers on each 
side of the body joining on to the rump ; abdomen, flanks, tliighs and under tail- 
coverts white ; primaries and imier secondaries blackish-brown, narrowly bordered 
on the outer web with buff and broadly margined on the inner web with pinkish- 
chestnut ; imder-surface of w'ing ash-grey, wddely bordered on the inner web with 
pale chestnut. Eyes rich brown, bill black, legs and feet coral-red, claws brown. 
Total length 125 mm., culmen 10, wing 62, tail 38, tarsus 18. Figured. Collected 
on the Watson River, North Queensland, on the 18th of June, 1914, and is the type 
of maclennavi (airopygialis). 
Adult female, Similar to the adult male. 
Adult inale. Fore-head, crown and back of the neck light grey; cheeks and ear-coverts 
silvery-grey ; upper mantle pinkisli-chestnut; mantle, wdng-coverts and secondaries 
and wings vinous-buff, shading into the colour of the mantle ; rimxp and upper 
tail-coverts glossy-black ; tail-feathers dull black; lores and entire throat glossy- 
black ; chest, breast, belly and sides of the body chestnut-pink; a large black 
patch on each flanli; tliiglis and under tail-c^overts white; under-surface of wings ash- 
grey, widely bordered on the inner web with pinkish-chestnut. Eyes reddish-brown, 
feet red, bill black. Total lengtli 107 mm. ; culmen 9, wing 60, tail 38, tarsus 16. 
Collected at Cape York, North Queensland, on the 18th of June, 1898, and is the t>me 
of nigrotecta (atropygialis). 
Adult female. Similar to the adult male. 
Immature. Entire upper-parts, including the secondaries and tail, earth-brown ; flight- 
coverts ash-grey, fringed with the same colour as the upper-parts; under-surface 
of the body dull reddish-brown ; middle of the belly whitish ; imder-surface of wings 
^■grey, widely margined on their inner webs with rusty-brown. Eyes black, 
feet pinkish, bill blackish. Collected at Normanton, Gulf of Carpentaria, North 
Queensland, on the 16th of April, 1914 (atropygialis). 
Eggs. Five to nine eggs form the clutch. A clutch of six eggs taken at Duaringa, near 
Rockhampton, Queensland, on the 10th of November, 1899, is of a pure white. 
Swollen ovals in shape. Surface of shell fine, smooth, and slightly glossy. 15-17 
by 12 mm. 
A bottle-shaped structure, composed of dried grasses, lined with feathers, and 
usually placed in high grass, a bush, or small tree. 
Breeding-months. August to December ; but the seasons are greatly influenced by the 
weather conditions and the rainfall. 
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