6o Hall, Notes on Bird-Skins from N. IV. Australia. [ ^.^ oa. 



That c is a young bird is evident by the scattered greyish- 

 white markings upon the otherwise uniform slate-grey back. 

 The under surface is remarkable, and were it not that the inner 

 portions of the flanks of an adult female show a pale vinous- 

 purple, the position of the bird would have been doubtful. The 

 whole of the under surface from the chest downward is of this 

 colour, being darker sooty-grey upon and above the upper 

 breast and paler upon the under tail coverts than this pale 

 vinous-purple. The tips of the wing quills are white, the inter- 

 scapulum is brown and spotted. In other respects it agrees 

 mostly with an adult female, and is most likely a female. 

 [Irides light brownish-grey ; bill deep blue at base, black at tip ; 

 corner of mouth creamy-white ; legs and feet blue-grey.] 



[In the two specimens the irides differ from Gould's descrip- 

 tion (black) ; male is nearer orange, female lighter yellow. 

 Within the last kw days (24/5/00) this species appears to have 

 arrived, possibly from their migratory course. They are now 

 feeding upon the honey-laden flowers, and this perhaps accounts 

 for their brush tongues. They are eating in the company of 

 A. personatiis and Manorhina liitea.^ 



80. Artamus LEUCOGASTER* (Valenciennes), White-rumped 



Wood-Swallow. 



Artamus Icucopygialis., Gould, Birds Aust., fol., vol. ii., pi. ■}>} (11^48). 

 Artaimcs leitcogaster, Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., vol. xiii., p. 3 

 (1S90). 



One adult male, 15/12/00. 



The plumage is browner than in the southern birds (Victoria) 

 I have examined. The latter have always been slate-brown. 

 Culmen between 17 and 18 mm. 



[Among the habits of this species is one that makes a picture. 

 After a preening of feathers, and while perched upon boughs, 

 the birds spread their wings as if soaring. They keep facing 

 the wind in this way for 50 seconds on an average.] 



81. LOPHOPHAPS FERRUGINEA (Gould), Red Plumed-Pigeon. 



Lophophaps phcmifera, Salvador!, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., vol. xxi.,p. 533 



(1893)- 

 Lflp/iflp/iaps ferruginea, Gould, Birds Aust., fol., suppl., pi. 68 (1869) ; 



North, Trans. Roy. Soc. S.A., vol. xxii., part ii., pp. 155-157 



(1898). 



Adult female, 8/1/00. 



The whole of the under surface from gorget to vent is uniform 

 cinnamon colour. There are no cinnamon rays upon the under 

 wing coverts (as in young), which are being moulted. [Bare 

 part before the eye brick red, at rear of it orange.] 



* Artamus leucor/iyitchus, Linn., appears to be the earliest name employed. See 

 footnote, p. 3, vol. xiii., Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. (1890). 



A. leucorhyncJnis parvirostris, sub-sp., is the nomenclature for the Australian foim, 

 ccording to Mr. Hartert, Novit. Zool., vol. vi., Dec, 1899. 



