198 THE PROCEEDINGS OP THE LINNEAN SOCIETY 



feathers elongated, tapering, pointed, extending 0-6 in. beyond the 

 l'emainder ; bill bluish white at base, tip, and the lower mandible 

 red ; legs yellow. Total length to tip of lateral tail feathers, 

 4 in. ; wing 2-6 in. ; tarsus, 06 ; bill, 045; tail, 1-3, to tip of 

 centre feathers, 1 -9. All the upper surface is green ; and the 

 wing-quills brown as in P. gouldice. 

 Rah. North-east Australia. 



"I shall not propose any new name at present for this bird, as 

 I am by no means sure that it and P. gouldice may not hereafter 

 prove to be females of P. mirabilis. 



" I append short descriptions of Poephila gouldice and P. mira- 

 bilis for the benefit of our friends in the country, especially those 

 who may be living in the districts frequented by these lovely birds, 

 that they may be enabled to distinguish them afc once; and would 

 direct their attention to the above remarks, hoping that some 

 liberal-minded person, willing to aid science, may be induced to 

 procure and forward specimens to the Museum, f and thereby 

 greatly assist in clearing up any doubts which may exist respecting 

 the validity of the species, and add to our Museum one more 

 species new to the already large collection of Australian birds 

 exhibited there. 



" I am indebted .to Mr. W. G. Armit, of Queensland, for this 

 specimen : — 



Poephila gouldice, Gould. 



Amadina gouldice, (Gould ), Bds. Aust., fol. vol. 3, pi. 88 ; id. 

 Handbook Bds. Aust., vol. 1, p. 420. 



Poephila 'mirabilis, (female), Homb. el Jacq. Toy. au Pole Sud. 



" All the upper surface of the body green ; quills of the wings 

 brown ; tail black ; head, and front and sides of the throat black, 

 bounded by a narrow line of verditer-green ; across the breast a 

 broad band of lilac-purple, all the under surface shining wax- 

 yellow ; bill, red flesh color at the base. 



f Instructions for preserving specimens of Natural History may be obtained 

 from Mr. E. P. Ramsay, the Curator at the Australian Museum. 



