ESTRELDA OCULEA.

Red-eared Finch.

Fringilla oculea, Quoy et Gaim. Voy. de l’Astrolabe, Zool., Part I. By 2) Ols ale Se toa
Jee-ree, Aborigines of the lowland, and

Dwer-den-ngool-gnan-neer, Aborigines of the mountain districts of Western Australia.

Native Sparrow, Colonists of Swan River.

 

Tuts species is abundant in many parts of the colony of Swan River on the western coast, but has not as yet
been discovered elsewhere. Like its near ally the Estre/da bella it inhabits open grassy glades studded with
thickets, particularly in moist swampy districts and along the borders of lakes and rivers. Its food consists
of small grass-seeds procured among the herbage on the ground. It is not a migratory species, and its place
of resort appears to be merely changed when, the supply of food being exhausted, it becomes necessary to
seek it elsewhere. Mr. Gilbert states that ‘it is a solitary species and is generally found in the most retired
spots in the thickets, where its mournful, slowly drawn-out note only serves to add to the loneliness of the
place. Its powers of flight, although sometimes rapid, would seem to be feeble, as they are merely em-
ployed to remove it from tree to tree. The natives of the mountain districts of Western Australia have
a tradition that the first bird of this species speared a dog and drank its blood, and thus obtained its red
bill.”

The sexes are so much alike that dissection is necessary to distinguish the male from the female. The
beautiful patch of scarlet feathers behind the eye, together with the rich colouring of the bill, assists very
materially in relieving the more sombre but delicate markings of the remainder of the body.

Lores, line over the bill and a narrow circle surrounding the eye black ; behind the eye a small patch of
shining scarlet ; all the upper surface olive-brown, crossed by numerous fine irregular crescent-shaped bands
of black, which are broadest and most conspicuous on the lower part of the back ; wings and tail simi-
larly marked, but with the black bands still broader and more distinct ; rump and the margins of the base
of the central tail-feathers shining scarlet ; throat and breast light brown, oe numerous crescent-
shaped bands of black ; abdomen and under surface black, with a large spot of white near the tip of each
feather ; irides red; bill bright vermilion, the base of the upper mandible edged with pearl-grey ; eyelash
greenish blue; legs yellowish grey.

The figures are of the natural size.