334 BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 



garb being only seasonal in tbe male, this supposition falls to 

 the ground. In their winter dress the sexes very nearly re- 

 semble each other ; but the males may always be distinguished 

 by the black colouring of the bill and tail-feathers. The young 

 male of the year has the tail-feathers brown, like the females ; 

 and it is a curious fact, that at this age these feathers are 

 much longer than in the adult. 



The male has the head, all the under surface, wing-coverts, 

 upper tail-coverts, and tail deep velvety black ; back of the 

 neck, scapularies, and remainder of the upper surface rich 

 orange-scarlet ; bill black ; eyes blackish brown ; feet fleshy 

 brown. 



Female brown above, paler beneath ; bill brown ; base of 

 the under mandible reddish brown ; feet flesh-brown. 



Sp. 197. MALURUS CRUENTATUS, Gould. 



Brown's Superb Warbler. 

 Malurus cruentatus, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc, part vii. p. 143. 



Malunis Brownii, Gould, Birds of Australia, foL, vol. iii. pi. 27. 



Among the species of which I sent home characters from 

 Australia, for publication in the Proceedings of the Zoological 

 Society, was the present pretty bird, to which I gave the 

 specific name of cruentatus. It is a native of the north- 

 western portion of the country, and formed part of the col- 

 lection placed at my disposal by the officers of H.M.S. 

 * Beagle.' It differs from Malurus melanocephalus in the 

 more intense blood-red colour of the back, and in its much 

 smaller size. 



We now know that this bird is common at Port Essington ; 

 and, as I have above stated, that it is also an inhabitant of the 

 north-western coasts, and in all probability enjoys an exten- 

 sive range over the north-western parts of the Austrahan 

 continent, where grassy ravines occur. 



