294 



TIMELIIDiE. 



District, in the south-western portion of the State, Dr. AIacgilh\Tay noted this species breeding 

 in 1901 from June to the end of October. Near Lake Austin, in the Murchison District, 

 Western Australia, Mr. C. G. Gibson informs me that he found a nest on the 28th August, 1903, 

 built in a small hollow stump, containing six eggs, all fresh; and another on the following 

 day, built in the hollow limb of a dead mulga, with eight eggs, some being fresh, others slightly 

 incubated. In each instance only one pair was observed about each nest. 



Aphelocephala nigricincta. 



BLACK-liANDED SQUEAKER. 

 Xerophila nigricincta. North, Ibis, ISO.'), p. 340; id., Rep. Horn Sci. E.xped., Pt. II, Zool., p. 82 



pi. 7, upp. tig. (1896). 

 Aphelocephala niyricincta, Oberliol., Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. riiilad., IS'.i'J, p. 214; Sliarpe, Haud-l. 

 Bds., Vol. IV, p. 342 (1903). 

 AnuLT MAi.K — General colour above pale chiiiamon, hecoraiiuj licher ami darker on the back 

 and rump; upper winy-coverts brown; quills broivu, the innermost secondaries dark broimi a^id 

 broadly inargined irith pale ciymamon, the remainder of the secondaries narrowly edged externally 

 with pale cinnamon and tipped icith white slightly ivashed with cinnamo7i; tipper tail-coverts pale 



cinnamon ; two central tail feathers dull blackish- 

 brown, faintly ivashed and tipped rvitli. pale 

 cinnamon, the remainder blackish-broivn ivith a 

 spot of irhite at the tip of the inner iveb, increasing 

 ill extent towards the oiilermost feather, rvhich is 

 broadly tipped and narroivly edged on the outer web 

 witli white; cro/rn of the head brown washed with 

 cinnamon and having small darker brown centres 

 to lite feathers ; forehead, lores, and fore part of 

 cheeks buffy-white, narrowly margined above with 

 an indistinct blackish line; ear-coverts cinnamon- 

 brown; sides of the neck pale cinnamon; chin, 

 throat, and all the under surface dull white slightly 

 tinged ivi/h buff, and crossed on ihj: breast with a 

 distinct narrow black band ; feathers on the lower 

 sides of the body suhterminally barred with rich 

 chestnut; under tail-coverts white slightly tinged u-ith buff; bill black; legs and feet purplish-black. 

 Total length S'd inches, iving 2-2, tail loo, bill 03, tarsus 0-7. 

 Adxjlt fem.\le — Similar in plumage to the adult male. 

 Distribution. — Central Australia. 

 /T^HIS species was one of the novelties obtained by the members of the Horn Scientific 

 -L Expedition when in Central Australia in 1894. It may be distinguished from Aphelo- 

 cephala pcctoralis, to which it is more nearly allied, by having the breast crossed by a narrow 

 black band instead of a broad band of cinnamon-brown across the chest as in that species. 



Mr. Keartland has forwarded me a nest and several sets of eggs of this species, received 

 from Mr. C. E. Cowie, and the latter has kindly favoured me with the following notes; — "The 

 eggs oi Xerophila nigriiinda, taken in March, 1899, were obtained from out of a big domed nest 

 in a 'raspberry bush.' It was composed of long dead pieces of cotton and raspberry bush, with 

 an entrance in the side, and lined with grass and feathers of many kinds, and too large to 

 conveniently carry on horseback. I saw the bird leave the nest. In June and July of the 

 same year they were nesting all about the stony plain between Erldunda and Attitara. They 



IlLACK-li.VNDED SQUEAKER. 



