220 



November 23, 1847. 

 William Yarrell, Esq., Vice-President, in the Chair. 



The following papers were read : — 



1. Descriptions of some new species of Australian Birds. 

 By John Gould, Esq., F. R. S., F. Z. S. etc. 



Melithreftūs chloropsis. 



Upper surface greenish olive ; head and chin black ; crescent- 

 shaped mark at the occiput, and under surface, \vhite ; wings and tail 

 brown, margined \vith greenish olive ; apical half of the external 

 \vebs of the primaries narro\vly edged with white ; irides dull red ; 

 bill blackish bro\vn ; naked space above the eye greenish white in 

 some, in others pale wine-yellow ; tarsi and outer part of the feet 

 light greenish olive ; inside of feet bright yellow. 



Totai length 5į inches ; bill {^ ; wing 3^ ; tail 2į ; tarsi |. 



Hab. Western Australia. 



Remark. — Allied to M. lunulatiis, from \vhich it differs in being of 

 a larger size, and in having the bare space over the eye pale green 

 instead of red. 



Melithreptus albogularis. 



Upper surface greenish wax-yellow ; head black ; crescent-shaped 

 mark at the occiput, chin, and all the under surface, ■vvhite ; 'vvings 

 and tail broAvn, margined with greenish wax-yello\v ; irides dull red ; 

 bill bro\vnish black ; legs and feet greenish grey, wrth a tinge of 

 blue on the front of the tarsi. 



Totai length 4|- inches ; bill į ; wing 2| ; tail 2į ; tarsi Į^. 



Hab. Northern and Eastern Australia. 



Remark. — Rather smaller than M. lunulatus, from wliich it differs 

 in the brighter colouring of the back and in the totai absence of any 

 black on the chin. 



Grūs Australasianus. 



The general plumage deep silvery grey ; the feathers of the back 

 dark bro\vnish grey, with silvery grey edges ; lesser ■sving-coverts 

 dark bro\vn ; primaries black ; crown of the head and bill olive-green, 

 the bill becoming lighter tovvards the tip ; irides fine orange-yellow ; 

 raised fleshy papillae surrounding the ears and the back of the head 

 fine coral-red, passing into an orange tint above and belovv the eye, 

 and becoming less brilliant on the sides of the face, ■vvhich, together 

 with the gular pouch, is covered with fine black hairs, so closely set 

 on the latter as almost to conceal the red colouring of the skin ; 

 upper part of the pouch and the bare skin beneath the lo\ver mandible 

 olive-green ; in old malęs the gular pouch is very pendulous, and 

 forms a conspicuous appendage ; legs and feet purplish black. 



