528 BIRDS OI' AUSTRALIA. 



Crown of the head, ear-coverts, and back of the neck jet- 

 black; a narrow stripe of greenish grey commences at the 

 nostrils, passes over each eye, surrounds the crown, and 

 nearly unites at the occiput ; back, scapularies, outer edges 

 of the secondaries, and the greater wing-coverts bronzy green ; 

 shoulders, rump, and upper tail-coverts fine lazuline blue; 

 throat white; chest, flanks, and thighs tawny bufl"; centre of 

 the abdomen dark blood-red, passing into scarlet on the under 

 tail-coverts ; primaries black, with a white bar across the 

 centre of the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth ; tail black, tipped 

 with green ; bill dark brown ; legs flesh-colour. 



Sp. 4. MERULA POLIOCEPHALA. 



Grey-headed Blackbird. 



Tu7'diis poliocepkalus, Lath. Ind. Orn. Supp., xhv. 25. 



fuliginosus, Lath, in Lamb. Icon, ined., vol. ii. pi. 42. 



Merula nestor, Gould. — Jard. and Selb. 111. Orn., new series, pi. 37. 

 Ash-headed Thrush, Lath. Gen. Syn. Supp., vol. ii. App. p. 373. 

 Turdus fuliginosus, Lath. Ind. Orn. Supp., xlii. ? 

 Sooty Thrush, Lath. Gen. Syn. Supp., vol. ii. p. 185 ? 



Merula poliocephala, Gould, Birds of Australia, fol.. Supplement, 

 pi. 



The present species appears to have been known for a 

 much longer period than I had supposed ; indeed I was not 

 aware that Latham had given a good description of the bird 

 under the name of Turdus poliocepkalus, otherwise I should 

 not have proposed the additional name of Nestor. When 

 Norfolk Island was first made a penal settlement, this bird 

 was doubtless very common there ; but I have reason to 

 believe it has now become scarce, having been partially 

 extirpated by the Government officers and convicts who 

 lived on this beautiful island for many years. Some short 

 time since, I described a second species of this form from 

 Lord Howe's Island, under the name of Merula viuitincta ; 



