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T H E PAINTED FINCH.
Emblema pida, GoULD.
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f J p H E Painted Finch is a native of Northern and Central Australia and, though
seldom imported hitherto, is a very heantiful species. The general colouring
of the upper surface of the male is pale brown, the flight-feathers darker ; the
hinder hack and upper tail-coverts bright scarlet ; the tail-feathers blackish, tinged
with scarlet on the margins ; the lores, a narrow eyebrow, the feathers below the
eye and the front of the cheeks scaidet ; the throat and under surface of body
black, but a few feathers tipped with scarlet on the chin and front of throat ;
the centre of the neck and chest also scarlet ; breast and abdomen spotted with
wliite at the sides ; the flanks brown ; under wing-coverts yellowish, under tailcoverts
black. Lengtli inches. Upper mandible black, tipped with scarlet,
lower mandible scarlet, with a blue patch at the base.
The hen is ver}? similar, but has no scarlet on the cheeks or throat ; the
latter, as well as the front of the neck, black, spotted with white ; the tinder
surface of the bodj' browmer and more plentifullj? spotted with white, the breast
with onlj' a tinge of scarlet. Length 4 inches
Herr Wiener says' that, in 1869, he had occasion to employ a journeyman
wire-worker who, one day spoke to him of "Julian Finches." He proceeds as
follows :—" The}' proved to be a pair of Painted Finches, and were probably the
first ever brought alive to Europe. I purchased them as a matter of course, and
kept them for a little while. Again, in 1873, I heard when in Liverpool that a
hairdresser in one of the most elegant streets of the town had a number of
foreign birds." " In the hairdresser's stock of birds I saw, to my astonishment,
a pair of Emblevia pietà, which their owner was pleased to call " Australian
Mountain Diamond Sparrows." I left Liverpool with the prize in my possession,
and have wished ever since I had known then wdiat I know now, about the best
and safest treatment of rare Australian Finches."
" A few years later, in 1877, I paid one of my periodical visits to Mr.