456 BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA 



the bower and disappear, when I fired at random through 

 the twigs, fortunately with effect. So closely had we con- 

 cealed ourselves latterly, and so silent had we been, that a 

 kangaroo, while feeding, actually hopped up within fifteen 

 yards, unconscious of our presence until fired at." 



Upper surface brown, each feather of the back and wings 

 margined and marked at the tip with bufiy white ; throat 

 striated with greyish brown and buff"; under surface of the 

 shoulder, abdomen, thighs, and under tail-coverts light pure 

 fawn-colour. 



Total length 11^ inches ; bill IJ ; wing 5f ; tail 5 ; tarsi If. 



Genus SERICULUS, Swainson. 



Of this genus only a single species is known ; and that this 

 bird has many characters in common with the ParadiseidcB 

 will, I think, be evident to every one who will compare it 

 with those birds. In my opinion much has been added to 

 the interest of the Regent Bird by Mr. Coxen's discovery that 

 it constructs a bower or playing-place like the members of 

 the genera Chlamydodera and Ptilitiorhynchus. 



Sp. 282. SERICULUS MELINUS. 



Regent-Bird. 



Turdus melinus, Lath. Ind. Orn. Supp., p. xliv. 

 Meliphaga chrysocephala, Lewin, Birds of New Holl., pi. 1. 

 Golden-crowned Honey-eater, Lath. Gen. Hist., vol. iv. p. 184. 

 Oriolv^ regens, Wagl. Syst. Av., Oriolus, sp. 2. 



regius, Temm. PI. Col., 320. 



Scriculus chrysocephalus, Swaius. in Zool. Journ., vol. i. p. 478. 



regens, Less. Man. d'Orn., torn, i^ p. 256. 



magnirostris, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., part v. p. 145. 



melinus. Gray, Gen. of Birds, vol. i. p. 233, Sericulus, sp. 1. 



Sericulus chrysocephalus, Gould, Birds of Australia, fol., vol. iv. 

 pi. 12. 



This beautiful species, one of the finest birds of the 



