1 88 Campbell, Birds from Gouldian-GUberi Type-locality, [j^^^"!",, 



Oriolus flavocinctus, King. Yellow Oriole. 

 Neoinimeta J. fiavocinctus. 



One S, I ?• Gilbert likewise procured a pair of these fine birds, 

 W'hich possess more black markings on the back than east and 

 west coast specimens, but agree with the latter in their lighter 

 (olive-yellow) under surface. East coast birds have a richer 

 yellow (yellowish-citrine) above and below, and have more yellow 

 in the light-coloured edgings of the wing feathers and tail tips, 

 and are slightly larger. Two races can therefore be easily dis- 

 cerned visually — the type {flavocinctus), from North and North- 

 West, and the more handsome kingi, Mathews, on the east. 



Dimensions in mm. : — 



flavocinctus — S — Length 268, wing 140, culmen 31, tarsus 23. 



?— „ 272, „ 141, „ 32, ,, 23. 



kingi— ^— „ 288, „ 145, ,, 32, ,, 25. 



?— „ 300, „ 145, „ 35, „ 25. 



Cracticus quoyi, Quoy. Quoy Butcher-Bird. 



MeUoria quoyi spaldingi. 



One S, wing 195 ; i ?, wing 180 mm. Similar to east coast 

 birds, which are a brighter black. Wing of eastern specimens 

 170-175 mm. Masters's spaldingi may stand, but Gilbert first 

 procured this black Butcher-Bird — a mangrove, mud-loving, crab- 

 hunter. 



Cracticus (nigrogularis) picatus, Gould. Pied Butcher-Bird. 



Two ?$. Similar to North- West examples, also to those from 

 Macarthur River, but the black portions of the plumage are not 

 so intense, nor the white parts so pure ; tail and primaries are 

 also browner. 



Length 294-305, wing 150-155, culmen 30-35, tarsus 30-32 mm, 



Cracticus argenteus, Gould. Silvery-backed Butcher-Bird. 

 Bulestes torquatus argenteus. 



Three S3 (i immature). Length 265-282, wing 140-147, 

 culmen 38-39, tarsus 28 mm. In the common species {destructor 

 or torquatus) the black on the head dissolves into the dark back, 

 whereas in argenteus a deep black head is clearly defined against 

 a grey (neutral) back. The general under surface is also whiter. 

 It is a nice question if the two are specifically distinct, unless the 

 bird obtained in North Queensland be considered intermediate, 

 and links up with the larger southern form {destructor). 



Again, Mathews is answerable in his " 1913 List " for stating 

 that the type-locality of this bird is " Port Essington." If students 

 will refer to the original description {P. Z. S., London, 1840, p. 

 126), they will find that Gould gives " North-West Coast of 

 Australia " as the bird's habitat, and that he obtained the speci- 

 men from Capt. Gray, of H.M.S. Beagle. 



