386 MR. E. p. RAMSAY ON BIRDS FROM QUEENSLAND. [JunC 11, 



of the neck above the shoulders ; flanks and under coverts of wings 

 tinged with brown, under surface of the wing dark brown, the inner 

 margins of the feathers whitish brown ; bill and legs reddish horn- 

 brown. 



An egg taken from the oviduct is white, thinly dotted with black, 

 0*75 in length by 0*5 inch in breadth. 



25. PtILOTIS VERSICOLOR? 



Young in half plumage ; beautifully mottled, on both under and 

 upper surface, with triangular markings of black and yellow. 



26. Orthonyx spaldingi, sp. nov. 



Male. The whole of the head, cheeks, and ear-coverts, the sides 

 of the head, sides and back of the neck, the sides of the chest, and 

 the shoulders jet-black. Wings above brownish black, the feathers 

 broadly margined with dark brown ; primaries and outer webs of the 

 secondaries brown, lighter on the outer webs of the primaries. 

 Chin, throat, chest, and centre of breast, as far as the abdomen, 

 white ; sides of the breast, flanks, upper and under tail-coverts, 

 rump, and back olive-brown ; base of the feathers and abdomen 

 dull slaty brown ; the tail, lower part of hind neck, and between the 

 shoulders blackish brown ; bill black ; eyelid flesh-white ; irides 

 blackish brown ; legs and feet brownish black. The tail is long and 

 pointed, two outer feathers one-fourth less than the centre ones, the 

 shafts of which are black, and much curved downwards, but not so 

 much worn into spines as in the remainder of the feathers. 



Total length (of skin) 1 1 inches ; wing, from flexure 5*2 ; tail 

 5 inches ; tarsi 1*9 ; bill, from angle of mouth 1 in., from forehead 

 0'9, its width at base 0'4, height 0*4 . 



The female difi'ers from the male in having the olive-brown tinge 

 on the upper and under parts of a reddish-brown tint, and in having 

 the centre of the chin, throat, and chest rich deep rust-red, from 

 which a triangular patch of white descends, lessening in width, 

 over the breast to the abdomen ; the rest of the plumage as in the 

 male ; bill black, irides blackish brown, eyelid flesh-white. 



Total length (of skin) .5 '5 inches; tail 4"1 ; wing, from flexure 

 4*5 ; bill, from angle of mouth 0*9, from forehead 0'85, height 0-3, 

 width 0"3 ; tarsi TB. Legs and feet blackish brown. 



Remarks. — This fine species was obtained in a dense brush about 

 thirty-five miles inland, and is a valuable addition to our avifauna, 

 being the second species of this anomalous genus {Orthonyx). Its 

 much greater size and jet-black plumage at once distinguish it from 

 Orthonyx sinnkaudus of the New-South-Wales brushes, to which, 

 however, it closely assimilates in habits and actions, frequenting the 

 thickest parts of the scrubs, and obtaining its food by scratching 

 among the fallen leaves and debris. 



I beg to propose the specific name of spaldingi for this new 

 species, after its discoverer, who has worked hard in the ornitho- 

 logical line for many years, and added to my collection many va- 

 luable and rare birds. 



