452 MR. SCLATER ON TWO BIRDS FROM NEW BRITAIN. [^P*"- ^' 



nis ad hasmflavo transvitiatis ; subalaribus flavicanti-viridibus ; 

 Cauda subtus schistaceo-nigrd, rectricum apicibus latisflavis, et 

 harum quatnor utrinque extimarum pogoniis internis ad basin 

 sanguineo-rubris ; rostro fiavo, pedibus pallide carneis, ungui- 

 bus nigris. Long, tota 6-/, alee 3*4, caud<B valde graduate 

 rectr. ext. 1"5, med. 3'2. 

 Hab. Nova Britannia (Kleinschmidt) . 



Obs. This beautiful little Parrakeet is quite new to me, but seems to 

 belong to the section including Tr. pahnarum and its allies (Fiusch, 

 Papag. ii. p. 869.) The description is taken from a female ; but Mr. 

 Kleinlchmidt says the sexes are nearly alike in plumage. He ob- 

 tained his specimens in December last near Balura in the Blanche- 

 bay district of New Britain. " Iris yellowish red, bill yellowish red 

 with darker point, feet red ; native name Airara." I have slightly 

 altered Mr. Kleinschmidt' s MS. name for this bird, as the chin-spot 

 is not brown {rufus), but nearly crimson (coccineo-ruber). 



2. Ortygocichla rubiginosa, sp. et gen. nov. 



Ortygocichla *, gen. nov. ex fam. Timeliidarum. 



Dasyornithi forsan affine, sed rostro compresso elongato, vibrissis 

 rictus nullis, aut saltern vix conspicuis et frontis plumis exstan- 

 iibus diversum ; uropygium valde plumosum ; alte modica rotun- 

 datce, rem. quarto et sequent ibus ad nonum inter se fere cequali- 

 bus ; pedes validiusculi, digitis amplis ; caudd rectricibus xii, 

 valde graduatis. 



Ortygocichla rubiginosa, sp. nov. (Plate XXXIX.) 



Supra terreno-fusca, alls et caudd extiis riifescentibus ; fronts, 

 superciliis, capitis lateribus et corpore medio subtus f errugineo- 

 riibris ; hypochondriis dorso conco lor ibus ; rostro nigra, pedibus 

 corylinis. Long, tota 7'5, alee 3'3, caudce rectr. med. 3"5, ext. 

 2-0, rostr. a rictu 0-9, tarsi 1-2. 



Hab, Nova Britannia (Kleinschmidt). 



Obs. This is apparently a new form of Timeliine bird, and quite 

 unknown to me. Mr. Kleinschmidt obtained it in November last 

 near Bakalai, in the Blanche-bay district of New Britain, and gives 

 notes, of which the following are a translation : — 



" Lives on the ground, and runs with head projecting forwards 

 like a Quail. When in captivity it retired at night into a bundle 

 of grass placed in the corner of its cage on the ground to sleep. 

 Here, suddenly expanding its long dorsal feathers, sinking its rounded 

 wings, and drawing in its head, it looked like a loose round bundle of 

 brown grass-stalks. Food grasshoppers. Iris bright grey, with a 

 lio-ht-brown tinge ; bill dark horn-colour above, almost black, beneath 

 brighter ; legs, feet, and claws dark horn-colour. Native name Talbe- 

 rara. Breeds in November and December, and said to lay in a 

 hollow in the ground without any nest." 



An egg sent with the bird (see Plate XXXIX.) is very densely and 



' opTvi, cotumix, et (ct'x^'Jj turdus. 



