1866.] DR. J. KAUP ON TWO NEW BACILLI. 577 



woven and matted together with various cobwebs, being lined with 

 the silky down of the cotton-tree or opossum-fur ; the entrance, 

 which is about 2i inches down the side, is I inch in diameter, and 

 completely hidden from view in front by a neatly woven hood of 

 li inch in length. 



The nests are often placed in trees covered with ants, which in- 

 sects are often found on the nests themselves, but do not, as far as I 

 am aware, cause the bird any anxiety. The eggs, which are laid 

 from October to December, and sometimes even as late as January, 

 are three in number. Their ground-colour is of a delicate white, 

 but almost hidden by numerous spots, dots, blotches, and freckles 

 of dull red ; in some the markings are thicker upon the larger end, 

 where they form a well-defined zone or circular blotch ; others are 

 minutely dotted. Upon the whole, both in shape and colour, they 

 closely resemble those of the Blue Wren (Malurus cyaneus), but 

 may be distinguished by being more thickly and strongly marked ; 

 they are also slightly larger and more lengthened in form. 



This species shows a decided preference for the more open parts 

 of the forest, with thickly foliaged trees and young saplings of Euca- 

 lyptus ; its actions among the leaves, where it searches for insects, 

 their larvae, spiders, Src, are very pleasing and graceful, — stopping 

 in its search every now and then to pour forth its curious and varied 

 song, in which it will sometimes stop abruptly and fly off without 

 finishing, as if something had startled it or suddenly attracted its 

 attention. Although well suited for the purpose, the Bronze 

 Cuckoos seldom lay their eggs in the nests of this species. Still it 

 must be numbered among the fosterparents of that bird, although 

 such is rarely the case. 



9. Description of Two New Species of the Genus Bacillus, 

 Latr. By Dr. J. Katjp, C.M.Z.S. 



Bacillus gerhardii. 



Viridis ; capite carina obliqua inter oculos et basin antennarum, 

 vertice punctis duabus nigris intermediis ; occipite globuloso ; 

 hoc et thorace subgranulatis ; meso- et metathorace spinulis 

 parvis armatis ; tibiis et t arsis prop e basin foliolo parvo acuto 

 instructis. 

 In the typical male specimen preserved in the Museum at Darm- 

 stadt the meso- and metathorax have some short spines, black on the 

 end, which are shorter on the abdominal segments. All the legs are 

 slender, with short spines ; two of them, on the underside, next the 

 end of the four hind femora, are larger. The antennae, twenty-three- 

 jointed, have some black spots. 



Mas. Long. corp. 4" 2'", antenn. 6'", mesoth. 7i'". metath. 7"', 

 abd., with the short anal styles (^"'), 22'". 



Hab. New Zealand (received from Mr. Gerhard Mailer, of Inver- 

 cargail). 



