ESTRELDA PHAETON. 
Crimson Finch. 
Bengali: Phaéton (Fringilla phaeton), Homb. et Jacq, Ann. des Sei. Nat., tom, vi, p. 314. 
Ing-a-dam-oon, Aborigines of Port Essington. 
Red Finch, Residents of Port Essington. 
Ix a paper addressed by MM. Hombron and Jacquinot to the Académie des Sciences on the 9th of August, 
1841, entitled, “ Deseription de plusieurs Oiseaux noneeaua. ou peu connus, provenant de Pexpédition autour du 
monde faite sur les corvettes l’ Astrolabe et la Zélee,” 1 find the characters of a Finch, which, although the 
colouring does not quite agree with that of the bird here figured, I have little doubt is identical with it, Tam 
the more inclined to consider them to be identical from the circumstance of MM. Hombron and Jacquinot’s 
bird having been collected at Raffles’ Bay, a locality closely bordering that im which Mr. Gilbert procured the 
specimens in my own collection, and who states that “this bird is an inhabitant of moist grassy meadows, 
particularly where the Pandanus (Screw Pine) is abundant, It is generally found feeding among the grass, 
and when distarbed invariably takes to those trees. From July to November it is to be observed in large 
flocks, sometimes of several hundreds; but although great numbers were shot during this period, uot more 
than three or four were obtained im the rich plumage. About the latter part of November they were either 
in pairs or in small companies, not exceeding six in number; the males decorated with their rich red and 
spotted dress.” : 
In its form it is in every respect closely allied to the Estrelda temporalis of the southern coast, and it 
doubtless as closely assimilates in its actions, economy and nidification, of whieh at present nothing ts 
known, 
The stomach is somewhat muscular, and the food consists of grass and other small seeds. 
Crown of the head deep bluish black ; lores, line oyer the eye, sides of the face and ear-coverts rich 
crimson red; under surface crimson red, spotted on the flanks with white; centre of the abdomen and 
under tail-coverts black ; back of the neck and rump dark brownish grey; back aud wings brownish grey, 
each feather crossed near the extremity with a band of deep crimson reds upper tail-coverts and two 
centre tail-feathers deep red; the remainder deep red at the base, passing into brown at the tip ; bill rich 
carmine, bounded at the base by a band of greyish white about one-tenth of an inch in breadth; hinder part 
of the tarsi and inside of the feet ochre yellow; front of tarsi and upper surface of the feet ochre yellow, 
strongly tinged with hyacinth-red. 
The female, who is rather smaller than her mate, is brown above, a few of the feathers on the back and 
the wing-coverts crossed with red as in the male ; lores, line over the eye, sides of the face, clin, upper 
tail-coverts and tail as in the male, but not quite so brilliant; breast and flanks greyish brown, the latter 
ornamented with a few small spots of white; centre of the abdomen buff. 
The Plate represents the two sexes of the natural size. 
