636 PODARGID^. 



pi. viii. (1855) ; id. Handh. B. Anstral. i. p. 94 (1865) ; Ramsm/, 

 P. Z. S. 1875, p. 581 (N.E. Australia); id. Tab. List Austr. B. 

 p.' 2 (1888). 



Birds from Australia have the tail Mly an inch longer than in 

 typical P. ocellatits, its length ranging from 7-5 to 8 inches. Other- 

 wise they are entirely similar to specimens of P. ocellatus from 

 Papuasia, and as a few specimens from New Guinea approach and 

 equal them in the length of the tail, this form can only be regarded 

 as a subspecies. 



The specimens in rufous plumage seem to be females. 



Hab. Northern, Eastern, and South-eastern parts of Australia. 



a-f. Ad. sk. Cape York, N. Australia. Salvin-Godman Coll. 



ff. S ; h. 2 ad. Cape York. Capt, Owen Stanley [P.]. 

 st. ( Types of the species.) 



i, k. Ad. sk. Somerset, Cape York, Salvin-Godman Coll. 



Feb., March {Cocker ell). 



I. Ad. sk. Adelaide, S. Austi-alia. Adelaide Museum. 



2. BATRACHOSTOMUS. 



Type. 



Batrachostomus, Go^dd, Icon. Av. ii. p. 13, pi. vii. 



C1838) P' auritus. 



Bombycistomas, Hay, Journ. As. Soc. Beng. 1841, p. 574. B. auritus. 



Otothrix, Gray, P. Z. S. 1859, p. 100 B. hodgsoni. 



In this genus the sexes in most of the species are very different in 

 colour, and the female is much brighter coloured, the male duller. 

 More or less obvious elongated ear-tufts, with bristles to the ends of 

 tlie tuft-feathers. Chiefly differing from Podarc/us in the form of the 

 tail and in the very remarkable nidification. The birds of this 

 genus build a peculiar nest, viz. a soft pad, formed of down, taken 

 from the powder- downs of the bird itself, and then completed by 

 having the outside interwoven and covered vnih bits of bark and 

 lichen, so that the nest entirely resembles the branch to which it is 

 attached. The eggs are pure white, only one in number, buf Mr. St. 

 Baker informs me (in litt.) that he has also taken two. 



Ranqe. From the Eastern Himalayas to the Malay Peninsula, the 

 Southern Philippines, Sumatra, Java, and Borneo. 



Key to the Species. 



a. Of large size, wing more than 7 inches in length. 

 a. Paler and larger, wiug more than 9 inches in 



length miritus, p. 637. 



v. Darker and smaller, wing less than 9 inches in 



length hurterti, p. 638. 



h. Wiug less than 7 inches in length. 



c . Scapulars with obvious large patches of white 

 or bufi" on the outer webs. 



a" . Wing 6 inches or more in length Septimus, p. 638. 



b" . Wing less than 6 inches in length. 



a". Upper wing-coverts obviously spotted 

 with white or buff. 



