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The Birds of Australia, Vol. 3 of 7 cover

The Birds of Australia, Vol. 3 of 7

Chapter 81: ESTRELDA TEMPORALIS. Red-eyebrowed Finch.
By John Gould
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About This Book

A richly illustrated, taxonomic natural history volume cataloging numerous Australian bird species through detailed descriptions and plates. It combines morphological notes on plumage and variation with field observations of behavior, vocalizations, diet, nesting, eggs, and habitat preferences, and records geographic distribution across mainland regions, islands, and Tasmania. The author synthesizes specimen-based taxonomy with reports from collectors, distinguishes closely related forms, and documents occurrence and abundance, providing practical information on localities and natural history useful to both scientific readers and informed amateurs.

ESTRELDA TEMPORALIS.
Red-eyebrowed Finch.

Fringilla temporalis, Lath. Ind. Orn., Supp., p. xlviii.—Vig. & Horsf. in Linn. Trans., vol. xv. p. 258.—Shaw, Gen. Zool., vol. ix. p. 533.

Temporal Finch, Lath. Gen. Syn., Supp., vol. ii. p. 211; and Gen. Hist., vol. vi. p. 115.—Lewin, Birds of New Holl., pl. 12.

Le Sénégali quinticolor, Vieill. Ois. Chant., p. 38, pl. 15.

Fringilla quinticolor, Vieill. 2nde Edit., du Nouv. Dict. d’Hist. Nat., tom. xii. p. 183.—Ib. Ency. Méth., Part III. p. 991.

Goo-lung-ag-ga, Aborigines of New South Wales.

Red-Bill of the Colonists.

This species of Finch is very generally spread over the gardens and all such open pasture lands of New South Wales and South Australia as abound in grasses and small plants, upon the seeds of which it chiefly subsists. It is particularly abundant in the neighbourhood of Sydney; even in the Botanic Garden numbers may always be seen flitting from border to border. It is easily domesticated, and is of a lively disposition in captivity, even old birds becoming perfectly reconciled after a few days. In the autumn it is gregarious, and Mr. Caley states it often assembles in such large flocks, that he has killed above forty at a shot; in the spring they are mostly seen in pairs, and then build their large and conspicuous nest, which is formed of dead grass, lined with thistle down, in any low bush adapted for a site, but in none more frequently than in the beautiful plant figured in the accompanying Plate (Leptospermum squarrosum) which was made by Mrs. Gould during our stay in Sydney; and I feel assured it will be acknowledged, that in delineations of flowers as well as of birds her pencil was directed by a hand at once masterly and truthful.

The eggs are five or six in number, of a beautiful fleshy white, seven lines long by five and a half lines broad.

Crown of the head bluish grey; upper surface, wings and tail olive-brown; under surface white; patch over the eye and rump crimson; irides brownish red; eyelash narrow, naked and black; bill fine blood-red, with the ridge of the upper and the lower part of the under mandible black; legs yellowish white.

The Plate represents the two sexes of the natural size.