138 



December 26, 1837. 



John Edward Gray, Esq., in the Chair. 



Mr. Gould exhibited a very extensive series of Australian birds 

 principally from his own collection, including about eighty new 

 species, all of which were severally brought before the notice of 

 the meeting, Mr. Gould remarking upon such of them as presented 

 characters of novelty or importance. The names jiroposed by 

 Mr. Gould for the birds forming this great addition to our know- 

 ledge of Australian ornithology, and their respective characters, are 

 as follow : 



Haliaetus sphenurus. Hal. capite, michd, guttureque imllkle 

 ccrvinis ; corpore supra alisqve intense fuscis, sinfftdis phtmis 

 ad apicem pallide cervinis ; caudd cunetformi, ad basiii albe- 

 scenti-cervind, apicem versus fused, ad apieem alba ; pectore 

 fusco, jilumis cervino inarginatis ; abdomine, cervino fuscoque 

 picto, crisso, caiiddque subtiis albis ; rostrofusco ; tarsis Jlavis. 

 Long. tot. 32 unc. ; rostri, 2; ala, 25; caudie, 14^; tarsi, 3^. 

 Hab. in terrii Van Diemen. 



Ohs. The above description was taken from two specimens in the 

 United Service Museum, which ai-e doubtless male and female, but 

 which are not quite mature. 



This fine species would appear to represent the European Ha- 

 liaeius albiciUus in Australia. In size it nearly equals the Aquila 

 fucosa, and like that bird it has a wedge-shaped tail, a character 

 common to many of the Raptorial birds of Australia. 



Haliaetus leucosternus. Hal. capite, collo, pectore, abdomi- 

 neque summo niveis ; dorso, alis, abdomine imo, fcmorihus, 

 crissoque Icete castaneis ; primariis ad apicetn nigris ; caudd 

 castancd, snhtiis pallidiore, rectricibus sex intermediis ad apicem 

 cineresce7itibus ; rostro ad basin plumbaceo, ad apicem jiaves- 

 ccnte ; pedibusjlavescetiti-plumbaceis. 



Long. tot. 22|^ unc; rostri, l-^-; ala, 15^; caudcc, 9; tarsi, 2. 



Hab. in Australia. 



Obs. This species is nearly allied to Hal. Pondiccrianns, but dif- 

 fers from that bird in the smaller extent of the cere, and in the uni- 

 form snow-white colouring of the neck and chest. 



Pandion leucocephalus. Pand. vertice, nucha, guld, abdo- 

 mine, femoribus, crissoque albis ; plumis pectoris fusco ad api- 

 cem notatis ; plumis auricidaribus fuscescenti-nigris ; colli late- 

 rtbus fuscis; dorso, alis, caudd que brunneis, singulis j)lumis 

 notd albd angnstd apicali oi'uatis; jjiimariis nigris ; rostro 

 nigro} tarsis olivaceo-phimbaceis. 



