ESTRELDA PHAETON.
Crimson Finch.
Bengali Phaéton (Fringilla phaeton), Homb. et Jacq. Ann. des Sci. Nat., tom. vi. p. 314.
Ing-a-dam-oon, Aborigines of Port Essington.
Red Finch, Residents of Port Essington.
In a paper addressed by MM. Hombron and Jacquinot to the Académie des Sciences on the 9th o f August,
1841, entitled, “ Description de plusieurs Oiseaux nouveaux ou peu connus, provenant de l'expédition autour du
monde fa ite sur les corvettes VAstrolabe et la Z élée f I find the characters o f a Finch, which, although the
colouring does not quite agree with that o f the bird here figured, I have little doubt is identical with it. I am
the more incliued to consider them to be identical from the circumstance o f MM. Hombron and Jacquinot’s
bird having been collected a t Raffles’ Bay, a locality closely bordering th at in 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 amoug the grass,
and when disturbed invariably takes to those trees. From July to November it is to be observed in large
flocks, sometimes o f several hundreds ; but although great numbers were shot during this period, not more
than three o r four were obtained in the rich plumage. About the latter p a rt o f 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 which at present nothing is
known.
The stomach is somewhat muscular, and the food consists o f grass and other small seeds.
Crown o f the head deep bluish black ; lores, line over the eye, sides o f 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 and wings brownish grey,
each feather crossed near the extremity with a band o f deep crimson red ; upper tail-coverts and two
centre tail-featbers deep red ; the remainder deep red a t the base, passing into brown a t the tip ; bill rich
carmine, bounded a t the base by a band o f greyish white about one-tenth o f an inch in breadth ; hinder part
o f the tarsi and inside o f the feet ochre yellow ; front o f tarsi and upper surface o f 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 o f the face, chin, 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 o f the abdomen buff.
The Plate represents the two sexes of the natural size.