1920.] On a new Species of Boiver-bird. 499 



XVI. — On a neiD Species of Boiaer-bird. 

 By T. Cartek and G. M. Mathews. 



(Plate XIV.) 



Chlamydera niaculata nova. Cape Spotted Bower-bird. 



^Mathews, Bull. Brit. Ornith. Club, vol. xl. p. 7(j 

 (January 30, 1920). 



This fine new subspecies differs from Chlamydera m. 

 subguttata (Mathews, Nov. Zool. vol. xviii. 1912, p. 4.10) 

 in having the yellow on tlx; breast and abdomen much 

 deeper and richer in colour ; the wavy flank-markings are 

 much bolder and darker, and there is less black on the 

 throat and upper chest, these parts in Chlamydera m. 

 subguttata being sharply defined from the breast, which is 

 very [)ale. The bill of the new subspecies is distinctly 

 smaller, and about 5 mm. shorter. 



The bird figured is a female, and had the ovaries enlarged 

 to the size of small peas, wlien shot near the North-West 

 Cape, mid-western Australia, August 9, 1916. Out of the 

 series of six birds that were obtained there, tbe above has 

 much the best coloured and largest nuchal baud, Avhich is 

 half an inch in depth. All the birds seemed to be fully 

 adult, and there was only one male, the nuchal band of 

 which is very imperfect and uneven, and has about half the 

 feathers deep golden yelloio, the remainder being pink with a 

 few scattered bluish-purple ones. This golden yellow does 

 not occur in the nuchal bauds of the five females. 



We hope to ])ublish a full account in the July ' Ibis ' of 

 the discovery of the above and other new subspecies, with 

 notes and remarks ou the birds seen between Albany and 

 the North-West Cape, in the course of four trips in tiie 

 intervening districts. 



[If the genus Alphaddamydera be not admitted, tlie 

 above bird can be called Chlamydera maculata 

 curieri.—G. ]\I. M.] 



SER. XI. VOL. II. 2 h 



