AMADINA CASTANOTIS, Gow.

Chestnut-eared Amaduvade.

Mas. Am. corpore superne cinereo-fusco ; alis brunneis ; uropygio albo ; tectricibus caude nigris, albo guttatis ; gents
castaneo-rufis, lined alba ad basin rostri ; pectore griseo, lineis nigris transversin striato ; notd nigra in medio pec-
toris ; abdomine albo ; crisso ochraceo ; lateribus castaneis albo guitatis ; rostro aurantiaco ; pedibus subflavis.

Fam. Rostro, lneis transversis fascialibus, tectricibus caude, pedibusque sicut in mare ; dorso, plumis auricularibus, alis,
caudd latertbusque fusco-griseis ; guld et pectore griseis rufo tinctis ; abdomine Jlavescenti-brunneo.

Long. tot. 44 une.; ale, 21; caude, 14; tarsi, 12.

Mate. Crown of the head, nape, and back brownish grey; wings brown; rump white ; upper tail-coverts jet
black, each feather having three large and conspicuous oval spots of white ; tail-feathers blackish brown
slightly tmged with white at their tips; cheeks and ear-coverts reddish chestnut separated from the bill by
a narrow transverse line of white, which white line is bounded on each side by a still finer line of black ; throat
and chest grey, the feathers transversely marked with fine lines of black; a small black patch on the middle of
the chest ; abdomen white; under tail-coverts buffy white ; flanks chestnut, each feather marked near the
tip with two small oval spots of white ; bill orange red; feet light yellowish flesh colour.

Frmae. ‘Transverse lines on the face, upper tail-coverts, and feet, as in the male ; upper surface, ear-coverts,
wings, tail, and flanks greyish brown ; throat and chest grey slightly tinged with brown ; abdomen yellowish
brown.

Amadina Castanotis, Gould in Proce. of Zool. Soc., Part IV., 1836, p.105; and in Syn. of the Birds of Australia, Part I.

 

Severs examples of this new and beautiful species of Amaduvade were contained in the collection of Major
Mitchell, and also in one forwarded to me by Mr. Coxen ; both these collections were procured in New South
Wales, the latter considerably to the north of Hunter’s River, and the former on the banks of the Darling,
whence we are led to infer that the interior of Australia is the locality to which it is confined, which opinion
is further confirmed by the circumstance of the species not being contained in the fine collection of the Lin-
nean Society, or in those ordinarily brought into this country.

It is nearly allied to, but in my opinion specifically distinct from, ‘Le Bengali moucheté,” of Vieillot’s
Oiseaux Chanteurs, p. 21. pl. 3, which moreover he states to be a native of the Molucca Islands.

I am unacquainted with any particulars as to its habits and economy.

Habitat. Interior of New South Wales.