DONACICOLA HUNSTEINL, Finsea.

Hunstein’s Weaver-Finch.

Donacicola hunsteint, Finsch, Ibis, 1886, p. 1, pO emle

 

Tus very distinct species of Weaver-Finch is one of the most interesting discoveries made by the well-known
traveller Dr. Otto Finsch, during his expeditions to New Guinea and the islands of the South Seas. He
met with the present bird in New Ireland, where, he says, ‘it was discovered at the extreme north corner
of the island. It lives in the high jungle-grass and is difficult to obtain.”

The following is a description of the typical specimens, which are now in the British Museum :—

Aduli male. General colour above black, the rump and upper tail-coverts chestnut with a wash of golden
yellow ; wing-coverts black like the back ; bastard-wing, primary-coverts, and quills rather paler blackish
brown edged with golden; tail-feathers blackish brown, the centre ones golden towards the ends, like the upper
tail-coverts ; crown of head, nape, and hind neck hoary grey, mottled with blackish bases to the feathers ;
lores and feathers below the eye, eyelid, and fore part of cheeks black ; ear-coverts hoary grey like the head,
a shade of the same colour overspreading the hinder cheeks ; throat and entire under surface of body velvety
black; under wing-coverts pale tawny buff, the edge of the wing black ; quills below blackish, pale tawny
buff along the inner edge: ‘bill and feet black ; iris dark” (O. Finsch). ‘Total length 3:6 inches, culmen
0:4, wing 2°0, tail 1:15, tarsus 0°6.

Adult female. Similar to the male in colour. Total length 3:5 inches, culmen 0°4, wing 1:9, tail 1-2,
tarsus 0-50.

Young. Brown, without any of the chestnut on the rump and tail, and only a slight indication of grey here
and there on the head; side of face, cheeks, throat, and chest dark chocolate-brown, the breast and abdomen
isabelline buff.

The figures in the Plate represent an adult male and female, as well as a young bird. ‘They are drawn
from the typical examples described above.

[R. B. S.]