©fficial ©ugan of the <^ii6trala0iau ©nvithologists' Enion. 



" Birds of a fcatbcr.' 



Vol. VIII.] 1ST JANUARY, 1909. [Part 3. 



Malurus dulcis (Lavender^flanked Wren), sp. nov. 



By Gregory M. Mathews, F.L.S., F.Z.S., M.B.O.U. 



(Plate B.) 



This pretty little species was described from a pair of specimens 

 in the Tring Museum, and I am indebted to the Hon. Walter 

 Rothschild for permission to name it. 



Six males and four females were procured by Mr. J. T. Tunney 

 in the granite ranges 10 miles east of South Alligator River, in 

 July and August, 1903 {cf. Hartert, Nov. ZooL, xii., p. 223, 

 1905). Dr. Hartert identified the species as M. pulcherrimiis, 

 Gould, but a further examination showed that the Alligator 

 River specimens are different from the tx\iQ M. pulcherrinius^^nd 

 Dr. Hartert agrees that they must be kept distinct. The latter 

 species has a decided tinge of blue on the throat, but AL dulcis, 

 like M. assimilis and ]\I. Imnbcrti, has a black throat. The 

 principal character for the separation of M. dulcis consists in 

 the colour of the flanks, which are lavender-blue, not white as 

 in M. assimilis, nor sandy-buff as in M. laniberti. 



The following is a detailed description of the types of J/rt/?/r«j- 

 dulcis : — 



Adult Male. — South Alligator River, Arnheim Land, 9th 

 August, 1902 (J. T. Tunney ; Rothschild Museum, No. 1,564). 

 Upper surface particoloured. Crown of head shining purplish- 

 blue, lighter, somewhat verging to deep cobalt, on the forehead ; 

 feathers round the eye and a patch of pointed plumes traversing 

 the ear coverts enamelled cobalt ; lores, cheeks, sides of face, 

 and sides of neck black, extending in a broad band round the 

 hind-neck, this band being followed by a band of lilac-blue ; 

 centre of the back lilac-blue, of about the same tint as the band 

 above, but a little brighter and with white bases to some of the 

 feathers and black tips to those which adjoin the black lower 

 back ; scapulars forming a patch of maroon-chestnut on each 

 side of the blue dorsal patch and continued forward and down- 

 ward to meet the breast-patch ; lower back, rump, and upper 

 tail coverts velvety-black ; wing coverts and quills brown, with 

 a slight shade of blue on the outer edges of the feathers ; lesser 

 coverts at bend of wing dark bluish-grey; tail feathers dark blue, 



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