CRIMSON FINCH. 
Smedley liad previously recorded them as “ Not common, thougli often 
seen on the Lower Burdekin River,” and Broadbent included tliis species in 
his Cardwell birds from “ Craig’s, Herbert River.” 
No subspecies were named until I prepared my “ Reference List ” in 
1912, when I accepted 
Neochmia phaeton phaeton (Hombron and Jacquinot). 
Northern Territory, North-west Australia. 
Neochmia phaeton iredalei Mathews. 
“ Differs from N. p. phaeton in its much paler coloration above and below, the 
dark head being only indicated. Rockhampton, Queensland.” 
North Queensland. 
I later added 
Neochmia phaUon fitzroyi. 
“ Differs from N. p. phaeton hi havhig the belly and the red on the throat 
hghter, in havhig a brown instead of a black head, and hi having a grey 
rump. From N. p. iredalei it differs in having the beUy and the red on 
the throat darker and hi having a much darker head. Fitzroy River, North- 
Avest Australia.” 
These three ivere admitted without any alteration in my 1913 “ List.” 
Since then, Campbell, reporthig upon birds from the Khig River, has 
confirmed the latter disthiction, writing: “ Tliree two ??. A nice series, 
and well named ‘ crimson ’ hi tone of colour. Not a Gouldian-Gilbert type, 
but, as Gould states, Hombron and Jacquinot’s bird was collected at Raffles 
Bay, ‘ a locahty closely bordering that in which Gilbert procured his specimens.’ 
It is interesthig to note, as Mathews has pointed out, that type-locality birds 
have a black crowm instead of brown, as in North-west specimens (fitzroyi). 
The Territory birds, in general, are also more intensely coloured. There is 
less difference in the respective females.” 
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