1878.] COLLECTED BY THE 'CHALLENGER.' 121 



about Cape York. The following two, however, have not been pro- 

 cured at Cape York ; they were shot on shore (Totanus incanus and 

 JEgialites inornatus). A great many flocks of Bee-eaters were 

 noticed making passages between the islands." 



" On 9th Sept., 1874, a party landed on Booby Island, a very 

 small island, with only a few shrubs on it. The following land birds 

 were shot or brought on board ; and in addition a Rail was seen, a 

 Megapodius, and one other land bird." (The species obtained were 

 Todirhamphus sanctus, Merops ornatus, Zosterops luteus, Pachy- 

 cephala sp., Ptilopus superbus, and Synoscus cervinus.) 



In the following list I have, with a few exceptions, followed the 

 arrangement and nomenclature of Mr. Gould's ' Hand-book to the 

 Birds of Australia.' 



1. Ninox boobook (Lath.). 



Ninox boobook, Sharpe, Cat. of B. ii. p. 168. 

 Spiloglaux marmoratus, Gld. Handb. B. Austr. i. p. 73. 



One male skin of this species from Cape York. No. 167. 

 " Stomach contained insects" (Murray, MS.). 



The specimen sent agrees generally with two skins in Mr. Grod- 

 man's collection from the same locality, and with Mr. Gould's de- 

 scription of Spiloglaux marmoratus, which Mr. Sharpe, in the 

 second volume of his catalogue, treats as " the adult of the large 

 form of N. boobook " (/. c. p. 1 70) • 



2. Podargus papuensis, Quoy & Gaim. 



Podargus papuensis, Quoy & Gaim. Voy. de l'Astrol, Ois. t. 13; 

 Gould, B. of Austr. Supp. pi. ; id. Handb. B. Austr. i. p. 91. 



" No. 186, $ . Eyes red, feet and bill light yellow. Stomach 

 contained insects." Cape York, one specimen. 



3. Merops ornatus, Lath. 



Merops ornatus, Gld. B. of Austr. ii. pi. 1 6 ; id. Handb. i. p. 117. 



In all four specimens of this common Australian species. Two 

 females from Booby Island (Nos. 199, 200), and a pair ( c? & $ ) 

 from Cape York (nos. 147 and 178). Of all the eyes are stated to 

 be " red," and the feet and legs black, except the female from Cape 

 York, which is described as having the legs " with violet tint." 

 The three females differ considerably from one another in the length 

 of the produced middle tail-feathers ; in the male the produced part 

 is thinner and at least twice as long as in the other sex. 



4. Todirhamphus sanctus (Vig. & Hors,). 



Todirhamphus sanctus, Gld. Handb. B. Austr. i. p. 128 ; Sharpe, 

 Alced. pi. 91. 



One specimen from Booby Island. "No. 192, 3 . Eyes black ; 

 mandibles black, except base of lower one, which is whitish. 

 Stomach had remains of a crab." 



