INTRODUCTION. xlix 
Subfamily ALAUDIN®, Bonap. 
Genus Mrrarra, Horsf, 
One, if not two, species of this well-defined genus inhabit Australia. At present one only has been charac- 
terized; but the bird of this form, frequenting the intertropical portions of the country, may prove to be a distinct 
species. 
230, Mirafra Horsfieldii, Gould : ; : : . ; ; . ‘ ‘ : : Vol. IIL. Pl. 77. 
Family FRINGILLIDA, Vig. 
The Finches of Australia comprise twenty well-marked species, referable to several genera or subgenera, each 
of which exhibit a slight difference in structure, accompanied, as is always the case, by a difference in habit, and in 
the districts inhabited ; thus the true Estrelde frequent grassy patches in the glades of the forests, the open parts 
of gullies, &c.; the Amadine, the stony hills and flats; the Poéphile, the grass beds of the open plains ; and the 
Donacole, the grasses of the marshy districts and reed-beds: of the habits of Emblema nothing is known; its 
pointed bill indicates some peculiarity in its economy differing from those of the other genera. 
All the species build, I believe, large grassy nests with a spout-like opening. 
The whole of those figured are peculiar to Australia. 
Genus Estrrentpa, Swains. 
231, Estrelda bella : ‘ . : , : : : : ; . Vol. III. Pl. 78. 
Loxia nitida, Lath. Gen. Hist. vol. v. p. 268 ? 
232. Estrelda oculea ; . ; - ‘ . . . , . . é . Vol. II]. Pl. 79. 
233. Estrelda Bichenovii . : : , ; ‘ . : : ; : Vol. III. Pl. 80. 
234. Estrelda annulosa, Gould ; : . : : : . , : Vol. III. Pl. 81. 
235. Estrelda temporalis : ; : . ‘ , ; Vol. III. Pl. 82. 
236. Estrelda Phaéton, Gould . ; : : : , . : : . ; ; Vol. III. Pl. 83. 
237. Estrelda ruficauda, Gould . , ; : . ' ; ’ . ’ . , Vol. III. Pl. 84. 
238. Estrelda modesta. 
Amadina modesta, Gould . ; : f ‘ : ; } , . . Vol. IIL. Pl. 85. 
Genus AmaApina, Sains. 
239. Amadina Lathami : : ; : P : F ; ‘ } ‘ . Vol. IIT. Pl. 86. 
240. Amadina castanotis, Gould  . ; ‘ , : : ‘ 4 . : , } Vol, LI. Pl. 87. 
Genus Potpninta, Gould. 
Generic characters. 
Bill considerably swollen at the base, rendering it nearly as deep and broad as it is long ; wings moderately long, 
the first quill rudimentary, the four next equal in length ; feet plantigrade, foes slender; the middle toe much longer 
than the lateral ones, which are equalin length; hind-toe much shorter than the middle one; tai/ strictly cuneiform, 
the two middle feathers much produced. 
241. Poéphila Gouldiz. 
Amadina Gouldiz, Gould 
242. Poéphila mirabilis, Homb. et Jacq. 
Vol. III. Pl. 8s. 
Vol. IL. Pl. 89. 
N 
