74 



2. Xerophila pectoralis. 



Xerophila pectoralis, Gould, Ann, Sf Mag. N. H. 1871, vol. viii. p. 192 ; 

 Ramsay, Proc. Linn. Soc. N. S. W. ii. p. 186. 



The bill of this species, according to Gould, is " almost as thick as 

 that of a Finch." " Face and throat white, passing into greyish 

 white on the ear-coverts ; crown and nape hair-brown, mottled with 

 blackish brown, the darker tint occupying the centre of each feather ; 

 back chestuut-brown, becoming much darker and richer on the 

 rump ; upper tail-coverts hair-brown ; two central tail-feathers 

 hair-brown, with lighter edges ; the five lateral feathers on each 

 side black tipped with white ; across the chest a well-defined band 

 of cinnamon-brown ; under surface white, with a mark of chestnut 

 down the centre of each of the flank-feathers ; wings dark brown, 

 the secondaries broadly margined with dull buff; under tail-coverts 

 buify white ; bill and feet black. Total length 3i inches, bill |-, 

 wing 2|, tail If, tarsi |-." (Gould.) 



Hah. Port Augusta, South Australia ; Port Denison, Xorth 

 Australia. 



6. SPHENOSTOMA. ^ 



Sphenostoma, Gould, P. Z. S. 1837, p. 149 S. cristatum. 



Bill slightly protracted, compressed and curved ; nostrils basal, 

 operculated, quite exposed ; first primary well developed ; second- 

 aries long, being six sevenths the length of the whole wing ; tip of 

 wing formed by fourth and fifth primaries ; tail graduated and longer 

 than wing. Plumage very plain ; crown with a crest. 



Range. Australia. 



1. Sphenostoma cristatum. 



Sphenostoma cristatum, Gould, P. Z. S. 1837, p. 150 ; Gray, Gen. B. 



i. p. 194, pi. 52. f. 5 (1847) ; Reichenb. S. Av. t. 62. lig. ; Gould, 



Handb. B. Austr. i. p. 316 ; Gt-ay, Hand-l. B. i. p. 235, no. 3409 



(1869). 

 Sphenostoma cristata, Gould, B. Austral, iii. pi. 17, i. Introd. p. xliii. ; 



Start, Exped. Centr. Austr. ii. p. 25. 



General colour above, including the central tail-feathers, uniform 

 earthy brown, with a more or less stronglj- pronounced ferruginous 

 tinge ; rest of tail dark brown, with large white tips ; wings greyish 

 brown, primaries with narrow whitish edges on outer webs ; under- 

 parts dingy white, washed with greyish or with ferruginous brown ; 

 under tail-feathers brown with white tips ; feathers of occiput pro- 

 longed into a long crest. Total length about 6'5 inches, culmen 

 O-o-O-oS, wing 3-2-3-4, tail 3-7-3-8, tarsus 0-9. 



The sexes are alike in plumage. 



Mab. New South Wales, Victoria, and South Australia, 



