Zoological Society. 363 



gradually disappearing about the level of the ears. The hair is very 

 singular when the animal is alive ; it resembles very soft close-packed 

 wool, somewhat curled and arranged in little tufts, as the hair on 

 the scalp of the negro, but extremely delicate ; it soon loses this 

 appearance after death if much handled, as is always the case in re- 

 moving the skin. 



" There are no other species of StenopidcB in Ceylon." 



Mr. Mitchell, on the part of Mr. Gould, communicated to the So- 

 ciety a new species of Psophodes, which he described as Psophodes 

 nigrogularis. 



Also an additional example of the genus Amad'ma, ^^erhaps the 

 loveliest of the tribe yet discovered, remarkable for the great beauty 

 and singularity of the hues with which it is adorned, the breast being 

 crossed by a broad band of lilac, a colour so rarely found in birds, 

 that he does not recollect any example of the same tint. Mr. Gould 

 has hitherto seldom adopted the practice of many naturalists, of 

 naming new species from individuals connected with science ; in this 

 instance he has been induced to depart from his usual course, in 

 order to pay a tribute of respect to the memory of the late Mrs. Gould, 

 who assisted him so zealously and with such talent in his ornitho- 

 logical pursuits. For this bird, of most graceful form and delicate 

 colour, he proposes the name of Amadina Gouldicc. 



Psophodes nigrogularis. Psoph. corpore superiore olivaceo ; in- 



feriore cinereo apiid laterafuscescente, abdomine medio albo ; caudd 



pallide olivaceo fused , rectricibns qiiatuor exieriiis apicem versus 



nigro vittatis, apicibus albis ; guld nigerrimd, strigd alba ab an- 



gulo mandibulce inferioris tendente modb nigro inclusd. 



Plumage of the upjjcr surface olive ; under surface ashy, passing 



into brown on the flanks and white on the centre of the abdomen ; 



primaries brown ; tail light olive-brown, the four lateral feathers 



crossed near the extremity vv-ith a band of black, and tipped with 



white ; throat deep black, with a stripe of white from the angle of the 



lower mandible, just within the black ; bill dark horn-colour ; irides 



dark brown ; feet dark horn- colour. 



Total length, G\ inches ; bill, | ; wing, 3|- ; tail, 4^ ; tarsi, 1^. 

 Hub. Western Australia. 



This bird has all the characters of the Psophodes crepitans in the 

 short and concave form of its wings and the rounded form of the tail, 

 but differs in the absence or very slight development of the crest. 

 Amadina Gouldi^. Am. fronte, loris plumis auricularibus, et 

 guld splendide nigris ; notd ab oculis circum occiput et per latera 

 colli tendente, ex fsrugine viridi, gradatim cum flavido-viridi cor- 

 poris superioris se commiscente ; fascia per pectus latd, lucidi 

 lilacino-purpured ; corpore inferiore cerino. 

 Male. — Forehead, lores, ear-coverts and throat deep velvety-black; 

 from behind the eye, round the occiput, and down the sides of the 

 neck, a mark of verdigris-green, gradually blending into the yellow- 

 ish green of the upper surface and wings ; across the breast a broad 

 band of shining lilac-purple, below which all the under surface is 



2B2 



