INSE8S0RES. 669 



species breed some time before they, have attained their green 

 livery ; at all events I have found examples breeding in a 

 state of plumage, which I believe to be characteristic of youth. 



The sexes are alike in plumage, but the female is somewhat 

 smaller than the male. 



Upper surface greenish olive ; head and chin black ; cres- 

 cent-shaped mark at the occiput and all the under surface 

 white ; wings and tail brown, the apical half of the external 

 webs of the primaries narrowly edged with grey ; basal half 

 of the external webs of the primaries, the outer webs of the 

 secondaries, and the tail-feathers washed with greenish olive ; 

 naked space above the eye scarlet ; feet olive ; irides very 

 dark brown ; bill blackish brown. 



Dr. Bennett, of Sydney, and Mr. George French Angas 

 have called my attention to a Melithreptiis inhabiting New 

 South Wales, which they consider to differ from all those 

 figured by me in the folio edition, and which they state had 

 been found breeding, proving, in their opinion, that it must 

 have attained maturity. The remarks of those gentlemen were 

 accompanied by two very fine skins, which, with two others 

 that had been in my collection for some time, are now before 

 me. At a first glance almost any ornithologist would imagine 

 these birds to be the young of M. lunulatus, and I must admit 

 that this was my own impression ; but, upon a more minute 

 examination and comparison, I perceive characters which 

 render me somewhat doubtful of this being the case. In the 

 first place, I find all the specimens larger and stouter than any 

 of M. lunulatus to which I have access ; in the second, I have 

 been informed that the bare space above the eye is greenish blue, 

 and not red ; all the under surface of the body is sandy brown 

 in lieu of pure white ; the axillary feathers are buff" instead of 

 white ; the wings are brown, and not wax-yellow ; the crown 

 of the head is brownish black instead of pure black ; and the 

 lunate band on the occiput is greyish buff*, and not white. 



