li
i
•|:i :
¡. lii
. I
n
/i
' 1
,1
'i ! ,[
i . i
rI I ; :
THE CHESTNUT-BREASTED FINCH.
Mania castaruithorax, Goin^D.
o N E of the handsomest of the Maiinikins, this little bird, which is an inhabitant of
Australia, was formerlj' rarely imported ; but, at the present time is frequently to
be obtained and consequenth* is hardly ever absent from our Bird-shows.
The male bird has the upper part of the head and nape brownish grey with darker
streaks, the remainder of the upper surface cinnamon-brown, the scapularies brighter ;
the croup and upper tail-coverts glossy straw-coloured ; the central tail-feathers strawcoloured,
the remainder dark brown, with yellowish margins; sides of face blackishbrown
with pale shaft streaks; chin and throat blackish ; sides and front of neck and
chest pale chestnut brown, bounded by a black girdle across the breast, which, with
the abdomen, is white ; sides of body cinnamon, barred -«dth black and white ; flanks,
thighs and under tail-co^•erts black; under wing-coverts and axillaries pale cinnamon ;
flight feathers below dusky, tail below black. Length 4J inches. Beak pale bluegre}?;
legs gre_yish brown ; iris brown.
The female is very like the male, but the chestnut breast-belt is paler, the black
girdle slightly narrower, and the black markings less defined on the flanks ; the form
of the beak, of course, differs as in other Mannikins and the streaking on the croivn is
less distinct.
The young plumage is thus described by Dr. Sharpe :—" Nearly- uniform brown
above, a little dusky on the head, and slighth* more fulvous on the lower back and
rump ; wing-coverts like the back ; bastard-wing and prinuvry-coverts uniform dusky
brown ; quills and tail-feathers dusky brown, edged \vith pale brown like the back, the
centre tail-feathers somewhat olive in tint; lores dusky blacki.sh ; eai'-coverts and sides
of face brown, with whitish shaft-line ; throat ashy-whitish, mottled \vith dusky bases
to the feathers ; lower throat and fore-neck, as well as the sides of the body, flanks,
and thighs, fulvous-brown ; breast and abdomen isabelline, clearer white on the latter
and on the under tail-coverts, the latter mottled with black bases ; under wing-coverts
and axillaries pale tawu}- buff."