OKIOLUS. 



example, one could pick out three distinct races fron, the typical form. An examumtion ol a 

 larc^e series fronr different latitudes would prove, however, that they gradually merge mto one 

 another Leaving the increase n, the length of bill out of the question, the decrease m the 

 white terminal marking of the tail feathers is shown on the preceding page from a photograph 

 of the tails of two fully adult males obtained in widely separated localities. One is the figure 

 of the tail of an adult male of Orwlus sn„ttalus shot near Sydney ; the other ,s that of Gould s 

 smaller race, or subspecies, O. <#«^S procured at Derby, North-western Australia. 



\ set of two e--s, taken near Port Darwin, cannot be distinguished from typical eggs of 

 O. sagitMus, but are slightly smaller. They measure:-(A) 1-3 x 0-87 inches; (B) r3xo-y 

 inches. 



Oriolus flavicinctus. 



YELLOW-BELLIED ORIOLE. 

 Mimetes Javocinctus, King, Sarv. Intortrop, Coasts Austr., Vol. II., p. 419 (1827). 

 Oriolus flavocinctus, Gould, Bds. Austr., fol. Vol. IV., pi. U (1848). 

 Mi,neta .flavocincta, Gould, Handbk. Bds. Austr.. Vol. I., p. 466 (186.5); Salvad., Orn. Pap. et 



Molucc, Pt. II., p. 471 (1881). 

 Oriohcs /avicmctus, Sharps, Cat. Bds. Brit. Mus., Vol. III., p. 206 (1877). 



ADULT M.LE-ff«n.m? colour above olive-yellow, the, feathers on the crown of the head streaked 

 unth black, and those of the back havin, a narrow arrou-.haped rnarking of black in the centre ; 

 lesser ..ing-coverts like the hack: the .ned^n, greater, and pri,nary coverts black, washed wUh oUve 

 and largely Upped a-ith yellow: pri.aaries black, externally edged with oUveand Hpped wUh 

 yellowish-wUte: the secondar^es .imUar, but .nore conspicuously .nargined wUh oUoe-yelow on the^r 

 outer webs; tail feathers black, washed with greenish-yellow on the.r outer wehs and trpped wUh 

 yellow, which increases in extent towards the outermost feather ; sides of the head and neck, and all 

 the under surface olive-yellow, passing into a clearer yellow on the centre of the abdomen and under 

 tail coverts; bill dull red; legs and feet bluish-lead colour; iris red. Total length 11 ruches, 

 wing f!, tail 4--5, bill IS, tarsus 1. 



Abult .....^-Difers from the male in its smaller si.e, and in having all the feathers of the 

 crown of the head and back more broadly streaked roUh black; a distinct eye-brow ohve-yellow; under 

 surf^c; olive-yellow, conspicuously streaked with black down the centre of.nost '^^I^^^^^^^^^^JI^^^U 

 secondarres, and upper wing-coverts brown, with straw-whUe instead of yellow t.ps to 'W- '-«: '^^ 

 feathers brown, washed with olive-green, the yellow tips being much paler and smaller than ^n the 

 male. Total length 10:1 inches, wing O'O, tail i 3, bill 1-25, tarsus 1. 



D..tribntron.^^onUe.n Territory of South .Vustralia, Northern and North-eastern Queens- 

 land, -Vru Islands. 



AT^HIS species is freely distributed in suitable localities over the northern and north-eastern 

 T portions of the Australian continent, numerous specimens having been obtained by 

 various collectors at Port Darwin, Port Essington, Cape York, -d^'--'^^'^; ;^;^,7;t 

 districts of North-eastern Queensland as far south as Cairns. It has been -- ^^ fro P 

 Denison, but I have never seen a specimen that was obtained south ol Card.ell. It also 

 occurs in the .\ru Islands. 



It IS essentiallv an inhabitant of the rich coastal brushes and contiguous --"^-"J-f ^; 



'•., r • 1 1 AT,- K' Crant informs me that while collecting on behalf ot 



and is never met with far inland. Mi. K. Uiant iniormb , T?;,-^r=tnnP about 



the Trustees of the Australian Museum in December, 1888, he met with it at Ruerstone, about 



