f^JVF'OKTINIA. 



243 



with nch reddish-brown, purplish-red, or pale purphsh-grey, the latt.M more IVequently consisting 

 ot underly.ny markings. In some they are entirely rich reddish-brown, in others there is a 

 blending of the difterent shades of red and purple, while one unusually marked specimen has a 

 cap ot clouded purplish-red and purplish-grey on one end, and a similar cap of rich-reddish brown 

 markings on the other. The markings frequently consist of a cap or .cone, and often at the 

 smaller end; others are sparingly spotted over the remainder of the shell, while occasionally 

 they may be hea^ ily blotched, or have large coalesced patches of different shades of red and 

 purple almost entirely obscuring the surface of the shell. 



A set of three received in i s.Sj fom the late Mr. (George Barnard, of Coomooboolaroo, 

 Duaringa, Queensland, measures : -Length (A) 2-o6 x 1-67 inches; (B) 2-05 x 1-67 inches; 

 (C) 2-oi X 1-57 inches. .\ set of three taken on the 31st August, 1908, by Mr. H. G. Barnard' 

 at Bimbi, Duaringa, (}ueensland, measures: -Length (A) 2-05 x 1-58 inches; (B)2-ii x 1-58 

 inches; (C) 2-07 x i-57inches. -Vnother set of three taken by Mr. Barnard on the 7th September 

 1908. measure :-Length(.\)2-oS x 1-62 inches; (B) 2-22 x 1-58 inches; fC) 2-22 x 1-63 

 inches. A set of two taken on the 9th October following, measure :-Length (A) 2-22 x 1-5. 

 inches; (B) 2-17 x f^i inches. 



In Lastern Australia August until the end of December constitutes the usual breeding 

 season. In Western Australia Gilbert found a nest with young in Xovember, and Mr. G. A. 

 Keartland a nest containing a young one in July. 



Gypoictinia melanosternum. 



BLAOK-HREASTED KITE. 



J^''t.o,ne/anosl„;tn,>, GonW, Proc. Zool. 80c., 1840, p. 162; .1., Bds. Austr., fol. Vol I pi -^0 

 (1848). ■ ; i> . ^J 



(gypoictinia mdanosteruon, Gould, Handhk. Bds. Austr., Vol. L, p. 47 (18G.5). 



(hipoictinia mfUn,M.n-na, 8harpe, Oat. Bds. Hrit. Mu.s., Vol. I., p, .3,3.5 (1874). 



(iypnictviia melnnosl.nunn, .Sharpp, Hand-I. Bds., Vol. I., p. 209 (1899). 



Adult .m..lk._^'.„,,v,7 ,„/„,,, „h„r.- hlackish-br,.,ru, dark.,- on Ih, npp.r hack, the scap alar, and 

 J>'af/>ers uu the tower portion of the hark a-ashed or a.argined n-ith rn/oHS : the smaller upper tail- 



corerU brown washed with rnfoa,, ,on>e of the /rather, entirely rufous, the longer ones brown with a 

 blackish wash on their apical portion; upprr winy-corerts black, the central series haviny their inner 



webs broadly margined with rn/oas : thr inner series yreyish-white, centred with brown, some 0/ then 

 mottled With rnjous near their tips : the onter series of lesser winy-corerts ashy-yrey with blackish- 

 brown centres; apical portion of the prunarir, Idackish-brown, their basal half white, the outer webs 

 of the Jonr onter ones grey; tail brownish-yrey, the basal portion of the inner webs of the lateral 

 Mthers white freckled or nwttled with brown; crown and sides of the head black; the' nape tawny- 

 rajons w,th blackish shaft streaks, or strip.,, and passing into rnfnis on each side of the neck; all 

 thr under surfar.r blackish-brown, ivith indistinct black margins to the feathers on the foreneck and 

 upper breast; the lower breast washed with rufous, morr distincth, on the sides ; thighs rufous, some 

 of the feathers with wintish margins and blackish shaft linrs ; "bill ligfu fwrn colour, darker at the 

 tip; cere pinkisfi-wldte ■ tarsus and feet pinkisli-wldte ; iris rich ha,d- (Bennett). Total length 

 %n thejlesh 22 inclirs, wing 18-5, tail S-73, bill 2, tarsus 2-7. 

 Adult femalk. — Similar in plumage to the male. 



