388 THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY 



Australian specimens. It can only be looked on as a variety of 

 B. subcristata, and may not be the true B. stenozoa. 



6. Strix delicatulus. 



Several fine specimens obtained, not diffei-ing from the N. S. 

 Wales examples. 



7. Athene, sp. 



A nestling, and a very interesting specimen, perhaps a young 

 A. strenua, Gould. The whole of the head, neck, and all the 

 under surface snow white ; on the shafts of some of the down on 

 the chest and abdomen dark brown stripes ; under wing coverts 

 white ; tail and wings dark brown, with broad transverse bars of 

 blackish ; scapulars and wing coverts bi'own, tips whitish, and 

 barred with whitish-brown, having a rufous tinge. Total length, 

 9 inches; wings, 6 - 3 ; tail, 3 ; tarsi, 1*1 ; bill, from forehead 1 

 inch, from nostril 0*5, from gape Tl inch; bill blackish; feet 

 brown, nails black. 



8. 1 PoDARGUS PAPUENSIS. 



This bird is one of the numerous varieties of P. papuensis, or 

 perhaps a new species. The general colour is dusky brown, with 

 large white mottlings and spots, particularly on the scapulars, wing 

 coverts, and all the under surface of the body, as well as a band 

 of whitish spots over the eye, and extending over the ear coverts 

 to the neck. The head above and the back are distinctly spotted 

 with white. 



9. Hirundo fretensis, Gould. 



This bird agrees with Mr. Gould's description, except that it 

 has no trace of the band of black below the red on the chest ; the 

 tail feathers have a narrow white margin opposite the oval 

 white spot on the inner web. 



Total length, from tip of bill to centre tail feathers, 4 - 3 in.; bill, 

 from gape, 0'55 ; width at base across gape, 45; wing, 4'2 ; 

 tarsus, - 35 ; tail, to tip of centre feathers, 1*5 ; to tip of outer 

 feathers, 2*1. 



This species may be at once recognised from H. frontalis by the 

 size of the bill and the white spots on the inner webs of all except 

 the centre two tail feathers. 



