104 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



deflected stream, but the action has not yet advanced to any 

 marked extent. 



[The paper was illustrated by a series of lantern slides. — Ed. 

 Vict JVat.] 



DESCRIPTION OF A NEW GENUS AND SPECIES 

 OF HONEY-EATER FROM RENNELL ISLAND, 

 SOLOMON GROUP. 



(With plate.) 



By Alfred J. North, C.M.Z.S., C.M.B.O.U., Ornithologist, 



Australian Museum, Sydney.* 

 {Bead before the Field Naturalists' Club of Victoria, IMh August, 190(3). 



Family — Meliphagid^. 

 WooDFORDiA, gen. nov. 



Bill equal in length to the rest of the head, nearly straight, 

 broader at base, deeper than broad at centre of the apical portion, 

 the culmen distinctly ridged and slightly curved towards the tip. 

 A broad patch in front of the eye and a ring round it bare of 

 feathers, the skin wrinkled, over which is sparingly distributed on 

 that portion in front of the eye very fine, short, white hairs. 

 First primary entirely suppressed, the tip of wing formed by the 

 third, fourth, and fifth primaries. Tail imperfect, some of the 

 central feathers missing; apparently nearly square, and two-thirds 

 of the length of the wing. Tarsus comparatively thick, covered 

 with a few scales in front, and nearly one-third longer than bill ; 

 feet fleshy, robust. 



WoODFORDIA SUPERCILIOSA, sp. nOV. 



General colour above brown, washed with dull olive-green, 

 which is brighter on the lower back, rump, and upper tail- 

 coverts ; upper wing-coverts like the back, the quills dusky-brown 

 externally margined with dull oUve-green ; tail feathers dusky- 

 brown, indistinctly margined with dull olive-green ; base of fore- 

 head whitish ; a broad patch in front and a ring round the eye 

 bare of feathers, above the latter a well-defined white eyebrow ; 

 ear coverts and throat ashy -white ; sides of the neck and re- 

 mainder of the under surface and under tail coverts dull ashy- 

 white, washed with pale olive-brown ; bill yellowish-brown, the 

 under mandible, except at the tip, of a clearer yellow ; wrinkled 

 skin in front of and round the eye blackish ; legs and feet light 

 greenish-olive, soles of feet yellow. Total length in the flesh 

 6 inches, wing 3, tail 2, bill 0.7, tarsus 0.9. 



Habitat. — Rennell Island, Solomon Group. 



Type. — In the Australian Museum, Sydney. 



* Contributions from the Australian Museum, by permission of the Trustees. 



