18/4.] ON NEW SPECIES OF BIRDS FROM QUEENSLAND. 601 



8. Descriptions of five new Species of Birds from Queens- 

 land, and of the Egg of Chlamydodera maculata. By 

 E. P. Ramsay, C.M.Z.S. 



[Eeceived September 19, 1874.] 



1. CYPSELUS TERR.E-REGIN.E, Sp. nOV. 



Whole of the upper surface, except the rump, very dark sooty 

 brown tinged with metallic lustre, being of a darker brown on the 

 outer webs and paler on the inner webs of the wing-feathers ; across 

 the rump a greyish white band having a narrow line of dark brown 

 down the shaft of each feather ; whole of the under surface dull 

 greyish brown, of a silky texture and somewhat glossy ; under sur- 

 face of wings and tail and the under tail-coverts of a darker tint, the 

 basal half of all the feathers on the body nearly black ; bill black ; 

 feet blackish brown ; iris dark brown. 



Total length from 4 to 4 - 2 inches ; bill from the nostril 0*1, from 

 forehead - 2, from angle of the mouth (V45 ; wing from flexure 4'4 ; 

 tail 2-1 to 2-4; tarsi 0-35. 



The sexes of this Swift are alike in plumage and size. The texture 

 of the plumage is remarkably soft, and to the touch resembles the 

 fur of a Bat. 



This species frequents the north-east coast ranges near Cardwell, 

 Rockingham Bay, where it is tolerably plentiful, but very difficult to 

 procure, from its small size and swift flight. Small flocks may be 

 seen flying to and fro over the clearer parts of the lower spurs of the 

 coast ranges ; and frequently the same troop returns to the same open 

 ground day after day ; towards evening others may be found sweep- 

 ing over the tops. of the scrubs and about precipitous sides of the 

 rocky ridges, where they doubtless breed. I found several young or 

 immature-plumaged birds ; and none amongst those I obtained had 

 the tail fully grown. I have never seen this species in any other 

 part of Australia than near Rockingham Bay. It was observed in 

 the neighbourhood of Cardwell during October 1873, and when I 

 left in April 18/4 was still numerous there. For the first knowledge 

 of this and several other new and rare species I am indebted to 

 Inspector Robert Johnstone, of the police force on the Herbert 

 river near Cardwell, as well as for much valuable information on 

 the natural history of that interesting region. 



2. ^Elurcedus maculosus, sp. nov. 



The whole of the head, including the chin, feathers at the base of 

 the lower mandible, and ear-coverts, black, having a spot of white 

 tinged with olive-green at the end of each feather ; the spots on the 

 back of the head and neck become more distinctly tinged with olive- 

 green as they approach the shoulders, where they are lost in the 

 brown-green margin of the feathers, which, on their under surface, 

 are of a bluish green tint. 



Proc. Zool. Soc— 1874, No. XXXIX. 39 



