PETROICA bicolor. 
Black and White Robin. 
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Family Sylviade. Sub-family Saxicoline, 
(See Northern Zoology, Vol. 2.) 
GENERIC CHaracTER. See No. 8, pl. 36. 
SPECIFIC CHARACTER. 
Black and white. Head, throat, back, and tips of the tail glossy 
raven black: breast, scapular covers, stripe on the wings, and 
plumage beneath, white: tail slightly forked. 
ae 
In giving publicity to this new and interesting bird, we 
feel particular pleasure in expressing our thanks to Allen 
Cunningham, Esq., His Majesty’s Botanist, in New South 
Wales, by whom it was there discovered. Although de- 
voted to a science already so much benefited by his re- 
searches, this enthusiastic ‘Traveller found some leasure for 
Ornithology, and has lately favoured us with a large collec- 
tion of skins, prepared during one of his inland journeys ; 
with a request that they may be made public: among other 
highly curious forms, the present bird is conspicuous. It 
was found in the open forest country, North of Liverpool 
Plains. 
When once we are so fortunate as to discover the natural 
station of any being, we may be convinced that every circum- 
stance regarding its structure, habits, or even colour, are 
employed by Nature to typify its relations to other beings ; 
and that until most of these can be explained, there is good 
reason to suspect the accuracy of our views on its true 
affinities. Possessing all the essential characteristics of 
Petroica, our bird exhibits in the bill, feet, and tail, an im- 
mediate affinity to Sialia arctica: while it is clothed in the 
pure white, and glossy black plumage, which nature after- 
wards employs to designate the typical group of Grytur- 
vora, (North. Zool.) at the opposite point of the circle of 
Saxicoline. This remarkable analogy isextended to the bill, 
the point of which is longer and more incurved, than in any 
of the immediate affinities of our bird : its close relation to 
the old world Saxicola, is too obvious to need explanation. 
