^'^'i'. ,^''J Thompson,.-] Trip lo Ihe Tunnel Disirict, Tasmania. 4 1 



Tree- Martin {Petrochelidon nigricans). — Very low ; one or two seen. 



Wood-Swallow {Aviamus sordidus). — -More plcnlifiil than Ihe pre- 

 vious species. 



Musk Lorikeet {Glossopsiltacus concinnus). — This was tlie only 

 one oi Ihc Psittaci observed here. They were moving in flocks of, 

 say, 1::. 



Brown Quail (Syncecus aiistvalis).— One Hushed oii the ground ; 

 most likely this species. 



Description of a New Rhipidura. 



Bv Edwin Ashbv, R.A.CJ.L'., Bl.ackwood, S.A. 



Recently I have received from my friend, Mr. (". E. May, Anson 

 Bay, Northern Territory, two formalin specimens of a Rhipidura 

 that appears intermediate between R. dryas, Gould, and A', iiilcr- 

 inedia. North. 



It differs from the former in liavnii;' dark spots or scaledike 

 marks on the chest, as in A', rii/ljroiis, and it differs from Mr. A. J. 

 North's description of R. intermedia {Vict. Nat., xix., p. loi) in 

 that the orange-rufous colouration of the basal half of the tail 

 feathers is absent, except for a wash of rufous on the basal portion 

 of the outer web of the tail feathers (as in R. dryas) ; but this 

 rufous wash barely extends beyond the upper tail coverts. Also, 

 there is more white at the tips of tlie tail feathers. In fact, the 

 bird under notice corresponds with Gould's description of R. 

 dryas except for the black scaly markings on chest and its larger 

 size. It therefore seems to link up the gap between R. dryas 

 and R. intermedia, and suggests the probability that, if a sufficient 

 series of skins were obtained round the coast of eastern and 

 northern Australia, a gradual transition would be found from the 

 typical Rhipidura rufifrons. Lath., of the Gippsland scrub, to the 

 North-Western form of Rhipidura dryas, Gould. 



Should the variety herein describecl be considered deserving of 

 specific difference, I would suggest that it be known as Rhipidura 

 mayi, after Mr. C. E. May, who has done so much good work in 

 collecting the birds of the Northern Territory. The measure- 

 ments are as follows . — Total length, 6.2 inches ; length of wing, 

 2.8 inches ; length of tail, 3.8 inches ; tarsus, 0.7 inches. 



\Note. — Since writing the foregoing I have learned that there 

 are specimens in collections labelled R. dryas that have the black 

 spots on the chest. My contention is that these are not R. dryas, 

 because Gould expressly points out that the black spots are absent 

 in that species. Secondly, there are also specimens in collections 

 labelled R. intermedia. North, in which the tail feathers are not 

 rufous, but are similar to R. dryas ; and these may not be Mr. 

 North's R. intermedia, as he states that in the type of that species 

 the basal half of tail feathers is rufous. — E. A.l 



