304 TIMELIID^. 



(1848); Bp. Consp. i. p. 306 (1850) ; Reichenh. Vog. Neuholl p. 68 



(1850) ; Gould, Handb. B. Austi: i. p. 3o9 (1865) ; Gratj, Hand-l. 



B. i. p. 218, uo. 3106 (1869) ; Ramsay, Proc. Linn. Soc. N. S. W. 



ii. p. 185 (1878). 

 Sericornis minimus, Goidd, B. New Guinea, part 1 (1875) ; Ramsay, 



Proc. Linn. Soc. N. S. W. ii. p. 185 (1878). 

 Sericornis brunneopygius. Masters, Proc. Linn. Soc. N. S. W. i. p. 53 



(1877). 

 Adult male. General colour above rufescent brown, more deci- 

 dedly rufous on the lower back and rump, a little more olive on 

 the mantle, the dorsal feathers with paler shaft-streaks ; wing- 

 coverts like the back ; outer median and greater coverts black, with 

 a white tip to the outer web ; bastard-wing feathers black, tipped 

 with white ; primary-coverts black ; quills lighter brown, exter- 

 nally rufescent brown, the primaries a little more ashy ; upper tail- 

 coverts clear rufous ; tail-feathers light brown, rufescent on the 

 outer webs ; crown of the head more rufous than the mantle ; base 

 of the forehead and lores dusky blackish, surmounted by a white 

 spot above the lores, followed by a dusky line across the forehead ; 

 eyelid white below, dusky in front and behind, with the hinder 

 portion of the upper margin white, extending into a little white 

 streak behind the eye ; ear-coverts rufous ; feathers below the eye 

 dusky blackish ; cheeks and throat white, with a few dusky spots ; 

 fore neck, breast, and abdomen pale yellow, with a few spots of 

 pale brown on the fore neck and chest ; sides of body and flanks 

 olive-brown ; thighs light brown ; under tail-coverts pale yellow ; 

 under wing-coverts yellowish white ; axillaries white tinged with 

 yellow ; quills brown below, inner edges ashy ; " bill blackish 

 brown; iris yellowish white" {Gould). Total length 4-5 inches, 

 culmen 0*55, wing 2-35, tail 1-7, tarsus 0-8. 



Toung. Differs from the adult in its paler coloration and more 

 olive colour above, the head being light rufous-brown ; lores and 

 ear-coverts light rufous, with only a slight indication of the white 

 spots above and below the eye. 



The spotting on the throat appears to be clearly a sign of age, 

 the black lores being an accompaniment of more distinct spotting 

 on the throat. 



S. minimus is only a small specimen of this species ; the bird so 

 marked by Gould has a longer wing than several of the Queensland 

 skins. 



Hah. South Australia and Victoria, extending into the interior, 

 through New South Wales, along the east coast of Australia to 

 Cape York, and to the Gulf of Carpentaria on the north coast. 



a. Ad. sk. Australia. Linnean Society [P.]. 



(Type of species.) 

 b-h. Ad. sk. Brisbane, Queensland {J. T. F. D. Godman and 0. 



Cockerell). Salvin, Esqrs. [P.]. 



i, k. Juv. sk. Brisbane, Queensland {J. T. F. D. Godmau and 0. 



Cockerell). Salvin, Esqrs. [P.]. 



I. Ad.; m. Juv.sk. Cape York {Cockerell). F. D. Godman and 0. 



Salvin, Esqrs. [P.]. 



