110 Mr. J. Gould on new Species of Australian Birds. 



and Ptilotis, Avhile it also possesses characters peculiar to itself 

 of almost sufficient importance to demand a distinct generic 

 appellation. It somewhat resembles in its colouring the Pti- 

 lotis polygramma of Mr. G. R. Gray {vide Proc. Zool. Soc. 

 1861, pp. 429, 434). 



Sittella striata^ Gould, n. sp. 



Male. The whole of the head, neck, throat, and breast black ; 

 all the upper surface pale-brown, with a blackish-brown stripe 

 down the centre of each feather ; under surface striated in a 

 similar manner,- but the streaks are narrower, not so dark, and 

 the edges of the feathers are also lighter, and on the centre of 

 the abdomen are nearly pure white ; primaries black, with a 

 large spot of white near their base, and faintly tipped with 

 brown ; secondaries dark brown margined with pale bro\vn ; 

 uj^per tail-coverts white ; under tail-covcrts white, with a 

 large tear-shaped spot of dark brown in the centre of each ; 

 tail black, the lateral feathers tipped with white, increasing in 

 extent as the feathers recede from the centre ; circle round the 

 eye, base of the bill, and the legs and feet yellow ; tip of the 

 bill black. 



Total length 4 inches, bill f , wing 3, tail 1^, tarsi f . 



Female. Differs in having the crown and nape only lilack, 

 and in the striation of the under surface extending from the 

 bill to the vent. 



Hahitat. The Cape- York peninsula. 



Remark. So far as I am aware, no member of this genus 

 has been found out of Australia; but one or other of the many 

 species known are distributed over all parts of that great 

 country. 



The nearest ally of the bird above described is the Sittella 

 leucocephala of the Moreton-Bay district, to the north of which 

 country natm^e has completely rung the changes by colom-ing 

 the head and neck of the present bird black, instead of white, 

 as in the species mentioned. The sexes of this new species 

 are very different, the female (or what is supposed to be an 

 example of that sex) having the crown of the head only black, 

 while the upper and under surface is streaked as in the male. 



Gallinula ruficrissa^ Gould, n. sp. 



Head, all the upper surface, wings, and tail brownish olive j 

 sides of the face, neck, breast, and under surface deep olive- 

 grey ; lower part of the flanks, vent, and under tail-coverts 

 pale rusty red ; bill greenish yellow, with a mark of red on the 

 base of the culmen ; legs and feet greenish yellow. 



