ENA ROD) VU CONE. xlix

Subfamily ALAUDINA, Bonap.
Genus Mirarra, Forsf:

One, if not two, species of this well-defined genus inhabit Australia. At present one only has been charac-
terized ; but the bird of this form, frequenting the intertropical portions of the country, may prove to be a distinct

species.

230. Mirafra Horsfieldii, Gould : ; ' : ; : ; : f ; i Noles OTe TRemtelee7e

Family FRINGILLIDA, Vig.

The Finches of Australia comprise twenty well-marked species, referable to several genera or subgenera, each

 

of which exhibit a slight difference in structure, accompanied, as is always the case, by a difference in habit, and in
the districts inhabited ; thus the true Estrelde frequent grassy patches in the glades of the forests, the open parts
of gullies, &c.; the Amadine, the stony hills and flats; the Pocphile, the grass beds of the open plains ; and the
Donacole, the grasses of the marshy districts and reed-beds: of the habits of Emblema nothing is known; its
pointed bill indicates some peculiarity in its economy differing from those of the other genera.

All the species build, I believe, large grassy nests with a spout-like opening.

 

 

 

The whole of those figured are peculiar to Australia.

Genus Estreipa, Swains.

231. Estrelda bella 3 : ; : : : é : : : ; : : ; Wolk, JUUL IL 7/8.
Lowa nitida, Lath. Gen. Hist. vol. v. p. 268 ?

232. Estrelda oculea : ‘ : : : : : ; " ‘ : : WO, WUE 1G W/o
233. Estrelda Bichenovii : : é : : : : : : : : : c Wl, IU, JBL BO.
234. Estrelda annulosa, Gould s ‘ : ‘ é ‘ ; : A ; : Wolo ele oie
235. Estrelda temporalis ; : : 5 : : ; ‘ 5 : : : : Wolk, 100, Tl, 3%,
236. Estrelda Phaéton, Gould : : ‘ : : : 5 : : i Wo, UOC, 1B, 83,
237. Estrelda ruficauda, Gould ‘ : j : ; : 5 : : : : : Wool, JUNI, Tl evi.
238. Estrelda modesta.

Amadina modesta, Gould : : : ; : : ; : ; : : WoL, IU. FIL Gis,

Genus Amapina, Sains.

239. Amadina Lathami : : 4 : F : : : ; : g : : Woll, Wil, 1, GE.
240. Amadina castanotis, Gould  . d : : : , : : ; ‘ é ; Wo, 10UI, IDL By.

Genus Poépuina, Gould.
Generic characters.
Bill considerably swollen at the base, rendering it nearly as deep and broad as it is long ; wings moderately long,
the first quill rudimentary, the four next equal in length; feet plantigrade, toes slender; the middle toe much longer
than the lateral ones, which are equal in length; hind-toe much shorter than the middle one; tail strictly cuneiform,

the two middle feathers much produced.

241. Poeéphila Gouldie.
Amadina Gouldize, Gould i : : : : : : Voltiin Pin ss:
242. Poéphila mirabilis, Homb. et Jacq. . : : : ; Wolmiir Ee 89:

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