Vol. xvi.j Howe. The Acanlhizcs or Tit-Warblers. I75 



Since Mr. Mathews believes in " bed-rock priority," wliy are 

 these forms not hsted as Acanthiza tcmttrostris tcniiirostris (Zietz), 

 from Soutli Anstraha, and A. t. ircdalci, from Lake Way? 



A canihizci cwingii eivingii {Gonkl, "Birds of AustraUa," 1848).— 

 Tliis species is found in Tasmania, and. aUhough closely allied to 

 A . piisilla diemencnsis, it can at once be distinguished by its 

 darker upper surface and by having the flanks and abdomen 

 greenish-olive, the colour of these parts in its ally being pale 

 falvous. The forehead, too, is light rufous, and has not the 

 scaled appearance of A. diemenensis. A beautiful set of four 

 fresh eggs was sent to me by ^Ir. F. A. Claridge, of Launceston. 

 These eggs are very like those of A. p. diemenensis. Mr. A. J. 

 Campbell described a form of Acanthiza ewingii in The E^nu, 

 vol. ii., p. 203 (1903), inhabiting King Island. Mr. Campbell 

 says : — " It differs from the three species of Tits beforementioned 

 — viz.. pitsilla, diemenensis, and magnirosiris— -by its more slender 

 tarsi and wings, but conspicuously by the absence of the light 

 crescent-shaped marks on the brownish (rufous-brown) feathers 

 of the forehead, and by the white feathers on the cheeks, chest, 

 &c., having the centre only black and not also edged with that 

 colour, as in the other species." After giving dimensions, Mr. 

 Campbell adds : — " By this diagnosis I strongly suspect the 

 stranger to be a re-discovery of Gould's long-lost Acanthiza ewingii. 

 If not, and pending the receipt of more material, I venture to 

 name the bird provisionally Acanthiza riififrons, or King Island 

 Tit." 



Milliganui rohiistirostris of Mathews (.4. robiistir-ostris, Milligan, 

 The Emu, vol. iii.. p. 71, 1903). was one of Mr. Alex. W. MiUigan's 

 discoveries, and is easily distinguished by the " head, neck, and 

 upper mantle being of clear bluish-grey, the feathers having longi- 

 tucHnal black centres" (in A.lineata they are buff), "bold on the 

 forehead and crown, but faint and rare on the upper mantle; a 

 conspicuous patch of white silky feathers on the rump and its 

 sides ; upper tail coverts of a imiform rust or snuff colour ; ear 

 coverts and cheeks bluish-grey, with whitish margins, producing 

 a ' rippled ' appearance." The types were secured at Day Dawn, 

 Murchison district, W.A.* 



Geohasileus chrysorrhoiis chrysorrhoits. — Regarding this species 

 North says : — " The present species was one of the novelties dis- 

 covered by the French naturalists Ouoy and Gaimard during the 



* In The South Australian Ornithologist, vol. ii.. No. 2, 191 5, Captain S. 

 A. White, M.B.O.l^., described a "Tit," and named it Acanthiza mariance (see 

 Emu, vol. xiv., page 188). I have not seen a detailed description of this 

 species, but recently Captain White presentetl nie with a copy of his work, 

 "Scientific Notes on an Expedition into the North-Western Regions of South 

 Australia," and in it he refers to th« new Acanthiza. From his notes and the 

 short description given it seemed possible that he had come across MiUigan's 

 A. robustirostris, but Captain White would hardly describe it as new without 

 comparing the birds. I should add that there is not a decent collection of 

 skins to be seen in Melbourne, and I have not been able to examine either of 

 these forms. 



