64 Zoological Society : — 



I have not observed any true Cuckoo here, and have failed to dis- 

 cover the Cuculus dumetorum of this coast ; but I have seen two 

 Cuckoo Pheasants {Centropus), one much hghter-coloured than the 

 Moreton Bay species ; the other with an almost black under surface, 

 and the general plumage of a dark tint. 



A Climacteris of dusty-brown plumage, with a brownish-yellow 

 spot on the wings, looks very handsome when sailing with outspread 

 wings and tail from tree to tree, or when hopping round the trunk 

 and branches of the gum-trees, where it feeds much on the pupse 

 contained in the small tough cylindrical cocoons suspended in hun- 

 dreds in the cracks of the bark. It loses all its beauty when pre- 

 pared as a museum specimen. 



Of Cockatoos : Cacatua galerita^ sanguineay and-E'05, are abundant 

 here, the two latter especially. Leadbeater's Cockatoo, with the fine 

 red crest, was also seen on the southern slope of the dividing range 

 south of lat. 18° S., and extending to the margin of the desert in 

 lat. 20° S. It is common in the northern districts of West Australia, 

 north of the Murchison. I have been hitherto most unfortunate in 

 my attempts to get a Black Cockatoo. Several, however, have been 

 shot and their tail-feathers, &c. brought in. I met with Aprosmictus 

 erythropterus for the first time in January ; on dissection, I found the 

 OS furcatorium very small, and buried in the substance of the pectorals. 



I have not found a single Platycercus or Euphemaf and only two 

 Honey Parrots, Trichoglossus versicolor and T. rubritorquis ; Nym- 

 phicus NoviB-Hollandice appeared suddenly in the beginning of 

 April, and was followed in about a fortnight by Melopsittacus undu- 

 latus ; both became very numerous, feeding about the burnt patches 

 of ground ; they are now (June) becoming scarce. 



Pigeons are not very numerous. I found Ptilonopus Swainsoni 

 at Quail Island on the coast near Port Paterson, and the fine Car- 

 pophaga leucomela at Point Pearce, near a swamp at which we were 

 encamped in October ; I was unable to preserve it, and have not seen 

 it again. 



Phaps histrionictty or a pigeon very similar to it, has been found 

 lately in May, and another Bronze-wing smaller, and of a uniform 

 greyish brown with white tip to the tail, red cere, and silver-grey 

 iris, has been common during our stay. I have been disappointed 

 in not getting Geophaps plumifera. It was often seen on the route 

 from Point Pearce, and was very numerous, with another and larger- 

 crested Pigeon at the second depot, established on a branch of the 

 Upper Victoria in lat. 1 T 3' S. 



The Petrophassa albipennis is common among the sandstone cliffs 

 of the ranges. Of two Geopelice, one is speckled, and has a silver- 

 grey iris ; the other has a beautiful lavender-coloured breast, and 

 pink iris, with broad bright red orbits. Both are elegant, timid 

 birds, and their liquid voices can be heard during the heat of the 

 day, when all else is still. Neither of these Pigeons has the peculiar 

 vocal powers noticed in Geop. tranquilla by Captain Sturt. The 

 speckled one makes a very slight flattish nest of sticks on the hori- 

 zontal fork of a branch, in which it deposits two white eggs. 



