472 BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 



but during the breeding-season affects the neighbourhood of 

 brooks and lagoons, which may be accounted for by the fact 

 of such situations being necessary to enable it to procure the 

 mud to build its nest, besides which they also afford it an 

 abundance of insect food. 



The whole of the plumage black, with glossy green re- 

 flexions, with the exception of the inner webs of the primaries, 

 which are white for three parts of their length from the base ; 

 irides scarlet ; bill and feet black. 



Family ? 



Genus STRUTHIDEA, Gould. 



The only known species of this genus is confined to the 

 stony ridges of the southern and eastern parts of Australia. 

 Probably some peculiarity in the construction of the bill is 

 requisite for the extraction of the seeds in the cones of the 

 Callitris pj/ramidalis, upon which it is mostly seen, and if the 

 short arched bill of this bird be given for this purpose, it is 

 one of the most striking instances of means to an end with 

 which I am acquainted. I consider this to be one of the 

 most anomalous forms comprised in the avi-fauna of Australia. 



Sp. 289. STRUTHIDEA CINEREA, Gould. 



Grey Struthidea. 



Struthidea cinerea, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc, part iv. p. 1 43. 

 Brachystoma cinerea, Swains. An. in Menag., p. 297. 

 Brachyprorus cinereus, Cab. Mus. Hein., Theil i. p. 217. 



Struthidea cinerea, Gould, Birds of Australia, foL, vol. iv. pi. 17. 



Prom what I personally observed of this bird, it would 

 seem to be a species peculiar to the interior, and, so far as is 

 yet known, confined to the southern and eastern portions of 



