204 Mathews, Notes on Epihianura lovensis. risf'"Tan 



Notes on Epthianura lovensis (Ashby). 



By Gregory M. Mathews, F.R.S.E., Watford, England. 



This most interesting addition to the desert avifauna of Australia 

 was described by Mr. Edwin Ashby in The Emu, vol. x., p. 251 

 (191 1 ), under the above name, with the proviso — " It may, after 

 further investigation, exhibit generic differences." 



In the Agric. Gazette, New South Wales, vol. xxii., p. 211 {1911), 

 Mr. A. J. North therefore introduced for it the genus name 

 Ashbyia. The same author, in the Proc. Linn. Soc. N.S.W., 191 1 

 (26th April, Abst., p. 11), amplified the diagnosis of the genus, 

 and noted : — " The genus Ashbyia is allied to Ephthianura, but 

 the latter may be distinguished by its more slender and pointed 

 bill, its shorter wing and different wing formula, and by its longer 

 upper tail coverts." 



The type specimens are now before me, and I would accept 

 their very close relationship with the genus Epthianura as broadly 

 understood, and in my " Reference-List " I included them in that 

 genus. 



As Mr. Ashby indicated, its nearest ally would seem to be E. 

 crocea, from which it is easily distinguished by the characters 

 Mr. Ashby points out. 



A careful examination of the EpthianurcB in connection with 

 this species reveals a few matters of interest. The type of 

 Epthianura (Gould) is the Acanthiza albifrons of Jardine and Selby. 

 Though the males of E. albifrons (Jard. and Selby) and E. 

 tricolor (Gould) are quite unlike in colouration, they have dull- 

 coloured females which somewhat resemble each other, the red 

 rump of the latter being the most noticeable feature. From 

 both of these species the male of E. aurifrons (Gould) absolutely 

 differs in its colouration ; but here again the dull female is not 

 so very dissimilar, the red rump being replaced by a yellow one, 

 while a yellowish-green wash pervades the lower surface. 



E. crocea (Castelnau and Ramsay) recalls the preceding species 

 in the style of colouration of the male, while the female is not 

 so markedly different, the yellow rump being present, while on 

 the under surface the yellow is mainly restricted to the flanks, 

 lower abdomen, and under tail coverts, where, however, it is not 

 so noticeable as in the preceding species. 



The present species would be referable to this group by its 

 colouration, though it is easily characterized by its superior size 

 and heavy bill. In its upper colouration it lacks the yellow rump, 

 and it has the under surface more distinctly greenish-yellow 

 throughout, this colour reappearing on the lores and on the super- 

 cilious eye-streak, though a buff tinge washes the sides of the 

 breast. 



There seems to me to be only two courses open in the treat- 

 ment of these birds — either the inclusion of the whole of the 

 species in the genus Epthianura, or else the recognition of four 

 genera. In my " Reference-List " I adopted the former course, 



