PYRRHULAUDA AUSTRALIS.— Smith. 



AvES. — Plate XXIV. (Male and Female.) 



Mm. — P. capitc nigro-brunneo ; gula. gutture, corporisque partibus inferioribus iiigiis ; interscapularibus, 

 dorsoque subferrugineis brunneo-strigatis; alanim tectricibus minoribus, tectricibusque primariis et 

 secundariis sordide fuscis, primariis exceptis, rufo-inarginatis ; rectricibus duobus intermediis fuscis 

 nifo-niarginatis, cseteribus nigris. Rostro albu ; oculis brunneis ; pcdibus subcarneis. 



Fern. — Supra rufa fusco-strigata ; siibtus rufo-alba, pcctore fiisco-inaculatu. 



LoNGlTUDO 5 unc. 



Meg.vlotis AUSTRALIS, Kep. (if Exped. App. page 49, June, 183t>. 



Colour. 3Ialc. — Head and under parts black, the upper and lateral parts of 

 the former with a strong rusty tint ; interscapulars and back subferrugineous, 

 tinted with grey and variegated with brown streaks, one streak along the mid- 

 dle of each feather ; upper tail coverts dark umber-brown faintly tipt with pale 

 rufous. The lesser wing coverts, the primary and secondary quill coverts, and 

 the tertiary quill feathers umber-brown, and, with the exception of the primary 

 coverts, distinctly edged and tipt with rufous ; the primary and secondary 

 quill feathers dark umber-brown verging to black. Tail, with the exception 

 of the two middle feathers, black, these are umber-brown, edged and tipt 

 with rufous. Bill white, with a livid shade. Eyes dark-])rown ; legs and 

 toes flesh-coloured. 



Form, &c. — Figure and carriage, in some respects, like those of the Larks 

 (Alaiidina), in others, like those of the Finches ( Friugili)icp), the points of 

 resemblance, as far as number are concerned, being in favour of the latter. 

 Body rather robust ; head broad and flat above ; bill conical and pointed, the 

 culmen obtuse and slightly curving from the base, the sides of the upper 

 mandible convex particularly towards the base, the commissure straight, and 

 the cutting edges of the under mandible received within those of the upper; 

 nostrils basilar and concealed by a covering of rigid wiry feathers. Wino^s 

 rather long and rounded, when folded they reach over the first two-thirds of 

 the tail, the first quill rudimentary, the third and fourth the longest and 

 slightly exceeding the second and fifth, the sixth considerably shorter ; 

 several of the shorter primaries have their points emarginate ; the tertiaries 

 nearly as long as the primaries. Tail of moderate length and slightly forked. 

 Tarsus short, moderately robust, and shielded both before and behind ; toes 

 short and rather slender, the outermost and innermost of equal length, the 



