Vol. IV. 



1904 



1 Stray Feathers. 7 1 



kindly caused other specimens, taken by Mr. J. H. Smedley, 

 to be forwarded later. Judging by this material (four skins) 

 there appear grounds for making a new variety, if not sub- 

 species. 



The new bird most resembles Melithreptus Icetior, from which 

 it differs in its general darker tone of colouring and in the bare 

 space round the eye being greenish-blue instead of bright yellow 

 (Gould) or greenish-yellow (Hall- Rogers).* It has been stated 

 that M . Icetior niay be only a very fine example of M . gularis. 

 M. gularis is a much heavier species, and otherwise quite 

 distinct. It has been taken in Victoria, where M. Icetior is 

 never seen^ and appears to be the mainland form of the still 

 larger M. validirostris of Tasmania. Mr. A. J. North mentions 

 that M. Icetior is found in the Gulf district of Northern Queens- 

 land"]" and in the event of the " Check-List " Committee separating 

 the Eastern from the Western and interior form I would suggest 

 the name Melithreptus carpcntariana for the North Queensland 

 bird. Subjoined is its description : — 



Male. — Head, nape, and ear coverts jet black ; band round 

 the nape of the neck pure white ; upper surface from hind-neck 

 to upper tail coverts greenish-yellow ; wings dark brown or 

 fuscous, the feathers narrowly margined with grey or light 

 brown ; tail dark brown, the feathers more or less margined 

 with greenish-yellow ; cheeks white ; rest of under surface (in- 

 cluding under wing coverts) buffy or ashy white, darkest on 

 throat, and blending into a distinct blackish chin. Bill black ; 

 tarsi light-coloured or yellowish ; bare space round the eye pale 

 greenish-blue. 



Female. — A little less inferior in colouring and size. 



Young. — Upper surface, including the head (excepting the nape 

 stripe, whitish), has a greyish-brown tinge, with the rump and 

 upper tail coverts only yellowish ; under surface darker, also 

 greenish skin round the eye darker than in adults. Bill yellowish 

 (like the feet) except the point of the upper mandible, which is 

 blackish. 



Dimensions in inches: — Male. — Total length, 5.75 ; culmen, 

 .5 ; wing, 3.24 ; tail, 2.5 ; tarsus, .75. Female. — Total length, 

 5.5 ; culmen, .5 ; wing, 3.14 ; tail, 2.4 ; tarsus, .75. Young. — 

 Total length, 5.0; culmen, .5; wing, 3.05; tail, 2.3; tarsus, 

 .7. — A. J. Campbell. 



Survey Camp Notes, 1903. — 14th July. — Betcherrygahs 

 {Melopsittacus undidatus), Martins (^Artamus leucogaster), and 

 Peewees (Grallina picata) breeding on Clermont lagoon. 



24th July. — Grey Flycatchers {Myiagra albiscapa) with young ; 

 Magpies {Gymnorhina tibicen), with nest, chasing all and sundry 

 (Peak Downs). 



1 8th August. — Cotherstone. — Channelbill (Scythrops novcB- 



* Etiiu, vol. i., p. loi (1902). 



t Proc. Roy. Soc. S.A., vol. xxii., p. 151 (1898). 



