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- j iiiS species is-an inliabitrint oi N'orthern Australia, ranging from the northvicst
to Cape York and tu I^Jekulg-balH Bay and Port Denisoii. Its general
climr is crimson, brightest on the upper tail-coverts, base of forehead, sides of
fact- and sides of body below; above, the lower back brown, as are the primaries;
tlic tail iea.thers have dusky inner webs: the crown and back of head are dull
brown, blacker in front; the sides of the breasL are spotted with white; the
ceirtre of the lower body black ; the under wing'-coverts yellowish; the flight
. iiiiers below dusky, with yellowish inner \yebs. Length finches. Beak carmine,
•ladly whitish at base; legs ochi'eoiis, reddish in front.
Tlic female is paler thau the male, greyer on the back: with gre_vish-bro\\'n
. throat and chest, but with similar wliite spots at the sides of the breast; the flanks
lighter, tinged with crimson and more numerously spotted thau in the m:Ale; the
breast and abdomen buff whitish.
Mr. Gould says;—'"This-species is an inhabitant of the moist grjis.sy meaiiMV/.s,
particularly u'here the Pnadaum (Screw Pine) is abundant Ti; i.s generally found
feeding--among grass, and w-hen disturbed invariably takes to tii trees. -From
July, to November it is obser\-ed in large flocks, sometimes oi' '"-.fveral hniidreds;
but although great uumbers were shot during this period, no; .ir-'re !.h:!ii three or
four were obfained in rich plumage. About the latter ¡>!u-t No\-e:(iLer the_\- were
either in pairs or in small companies, not c-vceeding six I'n ninuber; the males
decorated \vith their rich and spotted dress. The f)od consists of grass and other
sn-iall seeds."
Th.e following is from the pen of Mr. A. J. .Nortji :—"The eggs * s were'
taken by Mr, J. Raiubird, in 1864, from some of the nests at that time common
on extensive grass-lands near Port Denison. The nest is b'ke all others of tlie
family, a flask-shaped structure of grasses \i-ith a long narrow- entrance, placerl on
its side in atiy con\-enient place, either iu Pandanm tiees or adjacent shrubs, or