5 8 Stray Feathers. [is? Jul' 



and frequently chased other birds from their neighbourhood. 

 On one occasion both of them followed a Raven (or Crow) for a 

 long distance,' and tried to hasten its departure by repeated 

 peckings, but the marauder did not once turn upon them. 

 Ground-Larks (Antkus austral is) were vigorously pursued, but 

 were never overtaken. Whether the Lark ascended in short 

 spirals, or -shot almost vertically upwards, or sailed down the wind 

 like a leaf floating down a stream, he left the Magpie behind, and 

 the latter invariably gave up the pursuit and returned to the 

 ground when the Lark had attained the height of from ioo to 200 



feet.— J. R. M'Clymont. 



* * * 



Maluri. — A Modification. — Mr. A. W. Milligan, of his own 

 volition, has been good enough to send for my inspection the 

 Blue-breasted Wrens (the true M. pulcherrimus of Gould*), 

 procured on his Stirling Range expedition (an account of which 

 is given in this issue) that have enabled me to modify a portion of 

 my work on the Maluri. In " Nests and Eggs," p. 178, I have 

 stated : — " Should there really be a bird in the south-west with 

 an indigo throat, then there is also a black-throated variety 

 between it (M. pulcherrimus) and M . lamberti in the east." This 

 proves to be a somewhat paradoxical statement — wrong in 

 supposing there was not an indigo-throated bird, but right in 

 stating there is a black-throated variety between it and M . lam- 

 berti. For this intermediate variety Mr. A. J. North has since 

 assigned the name M. assimilis — see Vict. Nat., vol. xviii., 

 p. 29 (June, 1 901). Attention, however, was first directed to 

 this probable third kind in The Ibis, p. 1 1 (January, 1901). For 

 No. 149, or Malurus pulcherrimus, in my book, page 177, the 

 " geographical distribution " should be Western Australia only, 

 while North-West and South Australia and Victoria apply to 

 M. assimilis, with Mr. North's additional localities thrown in. 

 Consequently, in regard to these alterations, " Observations," &c, 

 under my M. pulcherrimus may be construed accordingly. — 

 A. J. Campbell. 



* * * 



Black Butcher-Bird.— Writing from Cairns, under date 

 28/1/03, Mr. E. M. Cornwall says': — 21st December, 1902. — 

 Went to a patch of scrub where I had taken a clutch of eggs last 

 season and had seen the birds at different times during the year. 

 Approaching the place I saw one old bird carrying food, and 

 immediately after the other appeared carrying a grub. I then 

 saw that they were feeding two fully-fledged young, which were 

 both brown. Although I have seen very many of both the black 

 and brown Butcher-Birds, I have never noticed the black and 

 brown together. The pairs were invariably either both black or 

 both brown. Mr. W. T. White says he has found the young ones 



* The British Museum "Catalogue of Birds," vol. iv., p. 295, erroneously states 

 that the throat is "deep black " instead of indigo-blue. 



