140 Zoological Society. 



Remark. — This new species must be placed in the first rank of the 

 many beautiful birds inhabiting Australia ; indeed there are few from 

 any part of the world that can vie with it in the richness of its colour- 

 ing ; and I cannot possibly have a better opportunity than now pre- 

 sents itself of paying a just tribute of respect to our most gracious 

 Queen, by bestowing upon this lovely denizen of the Australian forests 

 the specific appellation of Victories ; — I say of the Australian forests, 

 for although the specimen from which my description is taken is from 

 the Baniard Isles, within the Barrier Reef and only a few miles from 

 the north-eastern shore of Australia, I have evidence, in the notes of 

 the late INIr. Gilbert, that it inhabits the mainland, since he states 

 therein that the Rifle-bird inhabits the northern as well as the south- 

 ern part of Australia ; in which he was in error ; the bird he saw in 

 the northern part of the country being doubtless the one here de- 

 scribed. 



It is very nearly allied to the Ptiloris paradiseus, but is a smaller 

 bird, with a still more gorgeous colouring. It may be distinguished 

 from that species by the purple of the breast presenting the ap- 

 peai'ance of a broad pectoral band, bounded above by the scale-like 

 feathers of the throat, and below by the abdominal band of deep oil- 

 green, and also by the broad and lengthened flank-feathers, which 

 show very conspicuously. 



SpHECOTHERES FLAVIVENTRIS, Gould. 



Sp. Ch. — Male : crown of the head and cheeks glossy black ; orbits, 

 and a narrow space leading to the nostrils naked, and of a light bufpy 

 yellow, or flesh-colour ; all the upper surface, wing-coverts, outer webs 

 of the secondaries, and a patch on either side of the chest, olive-green ; 

 chin, chest, abdomen and flanks beautiful yellow; vent and under 

 tail-coverts white ; primaries and inner webs of secondaries black, 

 edged with grey ; tail black, the external web and the apical half of 

 the internal web of the outer feather on each side white ; the apical 

 half of the second feather on each side white ; the next, or third, on 

 each side with a large spot of white at the tip ; bill black ; feet flesh- 

 colour. 



Female : striated on the head with brown and whitish ; all the 

 upper surface olive-brown ; all the wing-feathers narrowly edged with 

 greenish grey ; under surface white, with a conspicuous stripe of 

 brown down the centre of each feather ; vent and under tail-coverts 

 white, M'ithout striae. 



Total length, 10|^ inches; bill, \^ ; wing, 5| ; tail, 4| ; tarsi, |. 



Hab. Cape York. 



Remark. — Of the same size as Sphecotheres Australis, but may be 

 distinguished from that and every other species of the genus by the 

 beautiful jonquil-yellow of its under surface. 



3. Descriptions of three new species of Indian Birds. 

 By J. Gould, F.R.S. etc. etc. 



1. RuTiciLLA grandis, Gould. 



Sp. Ch. — Crown of the head and the basal portion of the primaries 



