168 
PLOCEIDiE. 
grasses, having an opening at one end partly concealed, by long 
grasses drawn over the entrance. It is placed among the stronger 
grasses, or small bushes which grow here and there on the grass 
flats or among the leaves of the Pandanus aquaticus. The eggs 
are five or six in number, in length from CH! inch to 0-64 inch ; 
diameter at the larger end from 0-44 to 0-46 inch. The shell is 
white outside, with a faint greenish tinge inside.” ( Ramsay, 
P.L.S., N.S.W., Yol. ii., p. 111.) 
Hab. Gulf of Carpentaria. 
POEPHILA MIRABILIS, Ilombron et Jacquinot. 
(P. gouldiai, Gould ; Black-headed phase.) 
(P. armiiiana, Ramsay ; Yellow-headed phase.) 
Crimson-headed Grass-Finch. 
Gotdd, Ilandbk. Bds. Aust., Vol. i., sp. 260, p. 421. 
The nest of this species, like that of other members of the 
genus, is a dome-shaped structure, composed entirely of dried 
grasses. It is usually placed in a low tree or bush not far from 
the ground. Eggs white, five in number for a sitting, varying 
from oval to pyriform in shape. A set measures as follows:— 
length (A) 0'72 x 0‘48 inch ; (B) 0’69 x 0'49 inch ; (0) 0-68 x 
0‘48 inch ; (D) 0 - 7 x 0‘47 inch; (E) 0-69 x 0 - 47 inch. 
Var. P. gouldle, Gould. 
Gould, Handbk. Bds. Aust., Vol. i., sp. 259, p. 420. 
In its nidification and eggs, this variety is precisely similar, in 
fact it has been recently proved that it is only a black-headed 
phase of P. mirabilis, the females of both being very similar to 
the males of P. gouldin, and can only be distinguished outwardly 
by their duller colours. In the aviary at the Museum, both 
phases have paired. Eggs from the black-headed phase are white, 
and measure as follows :—length (A) 0-66 x 0 - 5 inch ; (B) 0'65 x 
0-49 inch; (C) 0’68 x 0 - 49 inch ; (D) 0-64 x 0-48 inch; (E) 0'68 
x 0 - 47 inch. 
