Crown of the head and back of the neck grey, the centre of each feather being brown; cheeks, throat and ear-coverts blackish brown in some specimens, each feather slightly tipped with pale buff; upper surface and wings reddish brown; upper tail-coverts orange; tail brown, margined with paler brown; across the chest a broad band of pale chestnut, bounded below by a line of black, which gradually widens towards the flanks, along which it is continued for some distance; the remainder of the feathers on this part white, with a spot of blackish brown at the extremity of each; abdomen white; thighs black; under tail-coverts white, with a spot of blackish brown at the extremity of each; bill black; feet brown.

The figures are of the natural size.

DONACOLA PECTORALIS: Gould
J. Gould and H. C. Richter delt. C. Hullmandel Imp.

DONACOLA PECTORALIS, Gould.
White-breasted Finch.

Amadina pectoralis, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Part VIII. p. 127.

For two beautiful specimens of this entirely new Finch I am indebted to E. Dring, Esq., of the Beagle, who procured them on the north-west coast of Australia: no notes of their habits or economy having been forwarded with the specimens, I am unable to give any particulars respecting them.

In structure and in the general disposition of its markings, the White-breasted Finch offers a considerable resemblance to the Donacola castaneothorax of the eastern coast, and in all probability they are analogues of each other, in accordance with a law which appears very generally to prevail among the birds of Australia; each great division of this vast country having its own peculiar species.

Crown of the head, all the upper surface and wings delicate greyish brown; the tips of the wing-coverts very minutely spotted with white; tail blackish brown; throat and ear-coverts glossy blackish purple; chest crossed by a band of feathers, black at the base, largely tipped with white; abdomen and under tail-coverts vinous grey; flanks ornamented with a few feathers similar to those crossing the breast; bill bluish horn-colour; feet flesh-colour.

The figures in the Plate are of the natural size, and are supposed to represent the two sexes; the principal figure the male.