492 Zoological Society, 



ruginous orange ; sides of the chest fine purplish blue, passing into a 

 rich vinous tint on the flanks ; irides and bill black ; feet orange. 



Total length, 6 inches; bill, 2; wing, 2 J ; tail, 11; tarsi, f. 



Hab. Port Essington. 



Remark. — This is by far the finest of the Australian Alcyones, and 

 is at once distinguished by the rich blue of the upper surface and the 

 beautiful vinous colouring of the flanks. 



Alcyone diemenensis. Ale. omni superiore corpore intense cyaneo, 

 ad uropygium et tectrices caudce superiores splendidius ; alis nigris 

 cyaneo lavatis ; guld stramined ; vertice nigra indistincte fasciato . 



All the upper surface deep blue, becoming more vivid on the rump 

 and upper tail- coverts ; wings black, washed with blue ; throat buff^; 

 under surface of the body and wings ferruginous orange ; on each side 

 of the chest a patch of bluish black ; lores and a small patch behind 

 the ears buff^ ; crown of the head indistinctly barred with black ; 

 irides and bill black ; feet orange. 



Total length, 6^ inches ; bill, 2 ; wing, 3| ; tail, 1 J ; tarsi, \. 



Hab. Van Diemen's Land. 



Remark. — Rather more robust than Alcyone azurea or A. pulchra, 

 and difi^ering from both in the blue of the upper surface, which is less 

 brilliant and of a slight greenish tinge. 



EopsALTRiA LEUCOGASTER. Eops. parvo maculo triangulari ante 

 oculum nigro ; vertice, corpore superiore, alis cauddque, saturate 

 griseis ; corpore inferior e albo. 



Immediately before the eye a small triangular- shaped spot of black ; 

 above the eye a faint line of greyish white ; crown of the head, all 

 the upper surface, wings and tail dark slate-grey ; the lateral tail- 

 feathers largely tipped with white on their inner webs ; all the under 

 surface white ; irides dark brown ; bill and feet black. 



Total length, 5|- inches ; bill, ^ ; wing, 3 ; tail, 2| ; tarsi, |. 



Hab. Western Australia. 



The sexes are alike in plumage. 



Strepera arguta. Strep, toto corpore nigro ; remigum apicibus 

 fuscis ; crisso, et pogoniis internis primariorum secundariorumque 

 ad basin et tertice partis apicalis rectricum albis. 



All the plumage black, becoming browner on the tips of the wing- 

 feathers ; base of the inner webs of the primaries and secondaries, 

 the under tail-coverts and the apical third of the inner webs of the 

 tail-feathers white ; irides yellow ; bill and feet black. 



Total length, 21 inches; bill, 2; wing, llf ; tail, lU ; tarsi, 2|. 



Hab. Van Diemen's Land. 



Remark, — This is the largest species of the genus I have yet seen. 



Strepera plumbea. Strep, corpore superiore plumbeo-griseo, ad 

 frontem loresque multo saturatius ; alis nigris ; secundariorum 

 marginibus griseis^ apicibus, et crisso, albis. 

 All the upper surface leaden-grey, becoming much darker on 

 the forehead and lores ; wings black ; secondaries margined with 

 grey and tipped with white ; basal half of the inner webs of the pri- 

 maries white, of the outer webs grey ; the remainder of their length 



