334 BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 



garb being only seasonal in the male, this supposition falls to 

 the ground. In their winter dress the sexes very nearly re- 

 semble each other ; but the males may always be distinguished 

 by the black colouring of the bill and tail-feathers. The young 

 male of the year has the tail-feathers brown, like the females ; 

 and it is a curious fact, that at this age these feathers are 

 much longer than in the adult. 



The male has the head, all the under surface, wing-coverts, 

 upper tail-coverts, and tail deep velvety black ; back of the 

 neck, scapularies, and remainder of the upper surface rich 

 orange-scarlet ; bill black ; eyes blackish brown ; feet fleshy 

 brown. 



Female brown above, paler beneath ; bill brown ; base of 

 the under mandible reddish brown ; feet flesh-brown. 



Sp. 197. MALURUS CRUENTATUS, Gould. 



Brown's Superb Warbler. 

 Malurus cruentatus, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc.^ part vii. p. 143. 



Malurus Brownii, Gould, Birds of Australia, foL, vol. ill. pi. 27. 



Among the species of which I sent home characters from 

 Australia, for publication in the Proceedings of the Zoological 

 Society, was the present pretty bird, to which I gave the 

 specific name of cruentatus. It is a native of the north- 

 western portion of the country, and formed part of the col- 

 lection placed at my disposal by the officers of H.M.S. 

 ' Beagle.' It differs from Malurus melanoceplialus in the 

 more intense blood-red colour of the back, and in its much 

 smaller size. 



We now know that this bird is common at Port Essington ; 

 and, as I have above stated, that it is also an inhabitant of the 

 north-western coasts, and in all probability enjoys an exten- 

 sive range over the north-western parts of the Australian 

 continent, where grassy ravines occur. 



