coiifonAX. 



23 



of any other Australian bird. A set of five measures as follows: — Length (A) 1-65 x 1-15 inches; 

 (B) 1-58 X 1-15 inches; (C) 1-59 x 1-14 inches; (D) 1-62 x 1-15 inches; (E) 1-63 x 1-14 inches. The 

 set of five previously referred to, taken by Mr. H. L. White, measures : — (A) 1-48 x ri3 incHes ; 

 (B) 1-47 X i-i6 inches; (C) 1-5 x i-i8 inches; (D) 1-63 x i-i8 inches; (E) 1-56 x 1-2 inches. An 

 unusually rounded set of four measures:— (A) 1-45 x riyinches; (H) 1-5 x i-2inches; (C) 1-5 x i-i8 

 inches; (U) 1-51 x 1-19 inches. 



Nestlin"-s are covered with smoky-black down, the wing and tail-feathers first appearing, 

 but the former showing no indication of the white inner web on the centre of the primaries; bill 

 and leo-s fleshy-black. Young birds may be distinguished by their brownish-black primaries, 

 long, downy feathers on the abdomen, and shorter bill. 



August, and the four following months, constitute the usual breeding season; but, as 

 pointed out, it is influenced by a heavy rainfall, nests in 1889 being commenced as early as 

 the 1st of June. 



Family PARADISEID^. 



Sub-Family EPIMACHIN^. 



Ptilorhis paradisea. 



EIFLE-BIRD. 

 Ptilori.'i paradUem, Swains., Zoal. Journ., Vol. I., p. -181 (182.5); Gould, Bds. Austr., fol, Vol. IV., 



pi. 100 (1848). 

 Ptilorhis paradisea, Gould, Haadhk. B.ls. Aust., Vol. I, p. 591 (186-5) ; Sharps, Cat. Bds. Brit. 

 Mus., Vol. Ill,, p. 154 (1877). 

 Adult male — General olour above and below rich velvety black, strongly ijlossed with purple ; 

 tail feathers vdvety-black, glossed with purple, the tw) central ones shorter, and of a rich lustrous 

 metallic-green.- forehead, crown of the head, and nape, shining metallic green, margined on the 

 hind neck with deep steel-blue; on the lower throat a'ul fore-neck a triangular patch of shining 

 metallic steel-green feathers; breast velvety purpUMAaik, the feathers on the lower breast edged, and 

 those on the abdomen and flanks broadly tipped with oHve-green: under tail-coverts black ; bill and 

 legs black; iris dark brown; tongue and inside of the mouth yellow Total length in the flesh, l'£ 

 inches, wing 6-1, tail 4'3, bill 1-8, tarsus 1-4- 



Adult female — General colour above greyish-Uroiva tinged with olive, the feathers on the crotvn 

 of the head darker and having narrow buff shaft stripes : primaries, secondaries, and greater tuing- 

 coverts, brown strongly loashed with orange-rufous, the lesser and median coverts like the back; tail- 

 feathers brown, slightly washed with orange-rufous ; over the eye and extending along the side of the 

 head is a dull white line, some of the feathers being narrowly edged with dark broicn : sides of the head 

 and neck brown, with narrow buf shaft stripes, like the crown of the head; throat and neck bufly- 

 white; remainder of the under surface buff with a wavy V -shaped black marking on each feather, 

 these markings becoming straighter and more indistinct on the flanks and under tail-coverts; bill 

 and legs black; iris dark brown. Total length 113 inches, rving oU. tail 4, bill I'T, tarsus 14. 



Di.-<tribution.—South-eastem Queensland, North-eastern New South Wales. 

 /-rgyHE Rifle-bird, with its combined metallic and velvet-like plumage, is one of the most 

 X handsome birds in Australia. Its stronghold is the dense brushes lying between the 

 Tweed and Clarence rivers, in iNew South Wales, and it is more abundantly distributed near the 

 head-waters of these rivers than the coast. In Queensland its range extends as far north as 

 Port Mackay ; and an adult male has been received in the flesh by the Trustees of the Museum 



