ACASTHOGENYS. 



157 



numerous dots and spots of purplish-red and a few nearly obsolete underlying markmgs of v.olet- 

 c^rey in some specimens scattered entirely over the shell, but as a rule predominatmg or conhned 

 >vith the exception of a few small dots, almost entirely to the thicker end, where they are 

 frequently confluent and assume the form of clouded caps or zones. A set now before me has 

 the smaller ends very faint yellowish-buff. A set of two taken near Dubbo on the 27th November, 

 1892, measures:-Length (A) 0-96 x 07 inches; (B) o.92 x o-68 inches. A set of two taken 

 at Belmore, near Sydney, on the 14th August, 1S98, measuresr-Length (A) i x 076 mches; 

 (B) 0-99 X 077 inches. 



Immature birds resemble the adults but are duller in colour, most of the quills are brown, 

 where they are black in the adult, and all but the central pair of tail-feathers have browmsh- 

 black bases. Wing 4-2 inches. 



August and the four following months constitute the usual breeding season of this species. 

 Mr \ E Ivatt brought me a set for examination, containing one egg of the Warty-faced 

 Honey-eater, and one of the Pallid Cuckoo. These eggs he took at Glanmire, New South 

 Wales on the 12th November, 1894. Mr. Ivatt also found another nest of Mdiphaga phrygm on 

 the same day with two incubated eggs, and also a fresh egg of the Pallid Cuckoo. 



Acanthogenys rufigularis. 



SPINV-CHEEKED HUXEY-EATEK. 

 Acanthoyenys rufoy.daris, Gould, Proc. Zool. Soc, 1837, p. 153; id., Bds. Austr., fol.. Vol. IV., 



pi. .53 (1848). 

 Acanthogenys rufigularis, Gould, Handl.k, Bds. Austr , Vol. I., p. 534 (1865). 

 Acanthochcera rr,figularis, Gadow, Cat. Bds. Brit. Mus., Vol. IX., p. 265 (1884). 



Adult ^^KX.^^General colour above including the crou-n of the head dull brownish-grey with 

 dark hrown centres to all the feathers, the margins of those on the back having a shght ohve-tuige; 

 rump and upper tail-coverts faint yellowish or strar.-rvhite with dark brown centres, becoming narrower 

 and less distinct on the longer tail-coverts which are ivashed with grey; lesser upper rcing-coverts hke 

 the back the median and greater series, also the innermost secondaries dark brown with ichUish margins, 

 remainder of the quills dark brown, their outer webs with narrow whitish edges except the med^an 

 series rohich are dull yellow; tail feathers blackish-broron tipped with white; a narrow line of 

 feathers in front and extending below the eye, and the upper portion of the ear-coverts blackish-brown ; 

 spine4ike feathers on the cheeks and partially concealing the ear-opening white, in some specimens 

 yellow or partially yellow, those immediately behind the latter white with black bases, follorved by a 

 large patch of yellowish-white feathers, each with a streak of black dorvn the centre, sides of fore neck 

 and hind neck blackish-brown; chin, throat and fore neck fulvous, the small feathers below he 

 cheeks having narrow whitish centres or blackish-brotvn cross-bars, remainder of the under surface 

 dull yellowish-white, each feather with a tear-shaped marking of blackish-brown dow-n the centre; 

 under tail-coverts dull rohite or faint yeUowisli-white, centred rvith an acute angled patch of 

 blackish-brown; apical portion of bill blackish-brown; base of bill, gape, and bare space below the eye 

 fleshy-pink; ear-opening dull dark blue; legs and feet dark slaty-grey : iris blw: Total length in the 

 flesh 10 inches, icing J^-lt, tail 4-3, bill 0-7S, tarsus 1. 



Adult female — Sliiiil'(r in jilnmnge fii thf mill''. 



Bistribution-North-western Australia, Northern Territory of South Australia, Queensland, 

 New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Central Australia, \\-estern Australia. 



Nh 



