INSESSORES. 445 



two turns round her, he suddenly makes a dash, and the 

 scene ends." 



I regret to state, that although I have used my utmost 

 endeavours, I could never discover the nest and eggs of this 

 species, neither could I obtain any authentic information 

 respecting them, either from the natives or the colonists. 



The adult male has the whole of the plumage of a deep 

 shining blue-black, closely resembling satin, with the excep- 

 tion of the primary wing-feathers, which are of a deep velvety 

 black, and the wing-coverts, secondaries, and tail-feathers, 

 which are also of a velvety black, tipped with the shining 

 blue-black lustre ; irides beautiful light blue with a circle of 

 red round the pupil ; bill bluish horn, passing into yellow at 

 the tip ; legs and feet yellowish white. 



The female has the head and all the upper surface greyish 

 green ; wings and tail dark sulphur-brown, the inner webs of 

 the primaries being the darkest; under surface containing 

 the same tints as the upper, but very much lighter, and with 

 a wash of yellow ; each feather of the under surface also has 

 a crescent-shaped mark of dark brown near the extremity, 

 giving the whole a scaly appearance ; irides of a deeper blue 

 than in the male, and with only an indication of the red 

 ring ; bill dark horn-colour ; feet yellowish white tinged 

 with olive. 



Young males closely resemble the females, but differ in 

 having the under surface of a more greenish-yellow hue, and 

 the crescent-shaped markings more numerous ; irides dark 

 blue ; feet olive brown ; bill blackish olive. 



Genus AILURCEDUS, Cahanis. 



I quite agree with Dr. Cabanis in the propriety of institut- 

 ing a new genus for the reception of the Cat-bird of Australia, 

 inasmuch as it certainly differs from the Satin-bird in the 

 structure of its bill and in the character and colouring of its 

 plumage. A single species only inhabits Australia. 



