The sexes are alike in colour and size.
General plumage ashy brown, the centre of the feathers dark brown, the latter colour predominating on the head, lower part of the back and tertiaries; wings brown margined with rufous; over the eye a stripe of buff; chin white; under surface pale buff; throat crossed by a series of dark brown spots arranged in a crescentic form; under surface of the wing rufous; bill flesh-brown at the base and dark brown at the tip; feet fleshy brown.
The figures are of the natural size.
ESTRELDA BELLA.
J. Gould and H. C. Richter del et lith. Hullmandel & Walton Imp.
ESTRELDA BELLA.
Fire-tailed Finch.
Loxia bella, Lath. Ind. Orn. Supp., p. xlvi.
Black-lined Grosbeak, Lath. Gen. Syn. Supp., vol. ii. p. 198.—Ib. Gen. Hist., vol. v. p. 267.
Fringilla bella, Vig. & Horsf. in Linn. Trans., vol. xv. p. 257.
Wee-bong, Aborigines of New South Wales.