l68 Whitlock, Notes on Norfh-Western Birds. [isfTrii 



white feathers underneath the blue, varying in amount according 

 to the season, as these white feathers largely fall out at the 

 moult. Much depends, too, on the making of a skin as to whether 

 these white feathers show or not. At certain stages of the moult 

 the pendent blue feathers may be very scanty, causing more white 

 to show. After examining a long series from various parts of 

 Australia, Mr. G. M. Mathews and myself are agreed that there 

 is but one species, which must stand as Hallornis cyanotus, Gould, 

 and of which Malurus leuconotus, Gould, is a synonym." 



It is satisfactory to have this point so thoroughly cleared up, 

 and to know that Messrs. Mathews and Carter's decision is prac- 

 tically in agreement with the Union's " Check-list " name for 

 the White-winged Wren — namely, Malurus cyanotus. 



Regarding eastern and western races, it is very difficult to divide 

 them. Birds taken in New South Wales are similar in all dimen- 

 sions (wing, 46 mm.) to some examples from, say, Carnarvon 

 (North-West). The males of the former locality are darker blue, 

 while the females are decidedly browner compared with western 

 birds in general. Mr. Mathews reverses the colour of the male 

 of his western sub. (exsul) — " Differs from M. c. cyanotus in 

 having the blue coloration darker above and below " {Nov. Zool., 

 xviii., p. 359). This is not so according to test by Prof. Ridgway's 

 " Colour Standards " for naturalists. The eastern bird assimilates 

 the tone " smalt blue " * (pi. ix.), whereas the western bird more 

 assimilates "phenyl blue," a tone lighter than smalt blue. How- 

 ever, hues or tones may vary in the birds according to season, 

 or age, as well as situation. For instance, there are in the 

 " H. L. White Collection " three Carnarvon skins taken the same 

 month (October) ; two are the darker shade of blue, more like that 

 of eastern birds, while one has the lighter tint (phenyl), and 

 resembles birds from Lake Way, East Murchison {perplexus, 

 Mathews). Again, a Cossack skin collected by Mr. Whitlock 

 shows smalt blue under parts and the phenyl hue about the head. 

 In any case, exsul and perplexus are practically the same birds 

 from the same faunal region. Students will, no doubt, accept 

 one western geographical race — namely, exsul. — A. J. C] 



Desert-Bird {Eremiornis carteri). 



I first encountered the Desert-Bird near Marble Bar during the 

 spring of the year 1908. Unfortunately, I left its haunts before 

 I had the opportunity of learning about its breeding habits. 

 Three years ago I again visited its haunts, and saw much of the 

 birds, but the season was unfavourable, and, in common with 

 most other species, Desert-Birds did not breed. 



At the request of Mr. H. L. White, Belltrees, New South Wales, 

 I made another trip to the Coongan River, near Marble Bar, in 

 the spring of last year (1917). I soon picked up a pair or two of 

 the birds, and before September I had more than half a dozen 



* Smalt blue resembles ultramarine blue, with a violet tinge. To be more 

 accurate, smalt blue is an equal blend of spectrum blue and violet. 



