138 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



Amytis housei, Milligan, Black Grass-Wren. 



This bird was one of the trophies secured by my friend, Dr. 

 F. M. House, whilst with the Kimberley Exploring Expedition, 

 in igoi. Mr. Milligan writes: — "As regards Amylis housei I 

 consider it the most handsome and distinctive member of the 

 genus." Black is the prevailing colour, but the head, neck, and 

 breast are striated with silky white, abdomen black, whole of 

 back and upper tail coverts very dull chestnut. The following 

 is Dr. House's field note : — " This bird was first found near 

 Camp F. B. 25, where the surrounding country was very rough, 

 and strewn with piled-up masses of sandstone, in colour chiefly 

 shading from red to black. It was observed passing over the 

 boulders, with which its colouring harmonized so perfectly that it 

 might easily pass unnoticed. In running it lowers the head and 

 tail, giving it a peculiar appearance, not unlike that which the 

 Pheasant Coucal presents when running on the ground. Its 

 distribution seemed to be entirely determined by the colour of 

 the rocks. It was only observed running over the sandstone, and 

 only in places where the colouring of the rocks harmonized with 

 its own. Its measurements are as follows : — Total length, 8 

 inches ; tail, 3^ inches ; tarsus, i inch ; mandibles, from gape to 

 point, ^ inch ; from forehead to point, ^s inch ; wings, 3 inches." 



Amytis gigantura, Milligan, Western Grass-Wren. 



Recently it was announced that Mr. Tunny, one of the 

 collectors for the Perth Museum, had obtained a new species 

 of Amytis, which Mr. Milligan described as A. giganlura. 

 I therefore wrote to that gentleman for any information he 

 could supply concerning it, and he very kindly replied 

 by return of post as follows : — " As regards A. gigantura, 

 Dr. Sharpe appears to have forestalled me in the Zoological 

 Records, 190 1. I described it in the Victorian. Katurnlist (xix., 

 p. 28) of the same year. He calls it Amytornis viegalurus." 

 Mr. Milligan further states — " There is not any doubt in my mind 

 that Gould confounded the two species (A. textilis and A. 

 macrovrns). The bird he subsequently described in the Proceed- 

 ings of the Zoological Society as A. textilis many years after he first 

 described that species was undoubtedly Dr. Sharpe's A. megalurua 

 and my A. gigantura. Just look at the measurements given by 

 Gould on each occasion, as also the description generally, 

 and then say if it be possible to reconcile the two. I have had 

 the pleasure and opportunity of handling a number oi A. gigantura 

 lately, and the tail measurements invariably equal 4 inches." 



Amytis imacrourus, Gould, Large-tailed Grass-Wren. 



I am strongly of opinion that when further investigation has 

 been made this name will disappear from the list of Australian 



