Birds of Melville Island. 117 



103. Eudynamys orientalis subcyanocephalus. Western 

 Koel. 



Eudynamijs orientalis subcyanocephalus MatbewSj Austral 

 Av. Rec. vol. i. 1912^ p. 21 : Parry^s Creek, North-west 

 Australia. 



Rare. 



104. Scythrops novaehoUandiaB neglectus. Little Channel- 

 Bill. 



Scythrops novcehollandice neglectus Mathews, Nov. Zool. 

 vol. xviii. 1912, p. 297: Parry's Creek, North-west 

 Australia. 



Rare. 



105. Polophilus phasianimis macrourus. Northern Coucal. 

 Centropus macrourus Gould, Birds Austr. vol. iv. 1847, 



text to pi. 92 : Port Essington. 



A few of these birds were seen on the 15th of Octoher, 

 and a month later they were quite numerous. Mr. Cooper, a 

 resident on the Island, says they are always plentiful during 

 the wet season on Apsley Straits, but leave for the better- 

 watered parts of the Island when the water dries up there. 

 When disturbed they fly up into the lower branches of a 

 tree and then hop and climb right up to the top — if possible, 

 balancing themselves on the topmost leaves. They seem to 

 be actually lying on the leaves. The alarm-call is a harsh 

 scolding note. 



106. Pulchripitta iris. Rainbow Pitta. 



Pitta iris Gould, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1842, p. 17: Port 

 Essington. 

 Rare. 



107. Hylochelidon nigricans rogersi. Northern Tree - 

 Martin. 



Petrochelidon nigricans rogersi Mathews, Austral Av. Rec. 

 vol. i. 1912, p. 38 : Port Durwiu. 



These birds are fairly numerous along the foreshore ; two 

 were shot out of a flock of about 200 which were perched 

 on a dead tree. They were most numerous during November; 



