and Paleontology of Victoria. 177 
sionally, whalebone-whales of enormous size are stranded on the 
shores, and the oil and whalebone sent to market, without 
giving rise to any extensive whaling-expeditions into the southern 
waters. One of these whalebone-whales, 90 feet in length, was 
cast on our shores last winter, and I have secured the skeleton of 
it for our museum. It proves to be a new species of the genus 
Physalus, or “finner.”” The pectoral is about one-eighth of the 
total length, and the ribs are sixteen on each side, and there are 
about sixty vertebre. It cannot be referred to the New-Zealand 
Physalus antarcticus, as the “baleen” is black. The largest 
blades of baleen are 18 inches wide at base, and 28 inches long. 
This species, of which I hope to publish a more detailed illus- 
trated description shortly, I name Physalus Grayi (M‘Coy), after 
my valued friend Dr. Gray, of the British Museum, whose re- 
‘searches on the Cetacea have so greatly aided and stimulated 
the recent investigations in this difficult branch of zoology. 
The whalebone of this whale, like that of the other “ Finners,” 
is only fit for splitting into the false bristles for brushes &c. 
BIRDS. 
As my friend Mr. Gould has recently published in his ‘ Hand- 
book of the Birds of Australia’ a list showing the geographical 
distribution of the species generally over the continent, | sub- 
join a list of those of Victoria, as the least-perfectly known of 
the colonies, and presenting several interesting modifications of 
Mr. Gould’s list. 
I would remark that the specimen of Dendrocygna Eytoni in 
the Melbourne Museum was purchased in the poultry-market, 
and seen by myself with the flesh untouched; so that there is 
no room for the doubt which has been expressed of the species 
occurring in Victoria. Another interesting species, the Indian 
and European little egret (Herodias garzetta), which is only 
doubtfully quoted by Mr. Gould as an Australian bird, I have 
carefully identified from a Gippsland specimen now in our Mu- 
seum. The very rare Pycnopiilus floccosus, the locality of which 
Mr. Gould is not certain of, occurs not uncommonly in the dense 
brushes of the Yarra mountains. The new species of bristle- 
bird (Sphenura Broadbenti, M‘Coy) is a very rare addition to this 
curious genus, easily distinguished by its rufous head from the 
previously known species. The Pardalotus xanthopyge (M‘Coy) 
is a new species, brought under my notice by Mr. Leadbeater, 
and which seems to appear first in the north-west part of Vic- 
toria, and gradually to increase in numbers towards Adelaide, 
where it seems to replace the P. punctatus, with which it has 
previously been confounded. 
