196 Order Passeriforin.es, Family Meliphagidae, Genus Anthochaera. 



Shrike. Mr. Samuel Sanders stated that during a recent 

 trip to the Murray he had seen about 50 Wedge-tailed Eagles. 

 They all settled on the ground, and covered about an acre. 

 They danced and hopped about for a time, then all rose up 

 and" circled to a great height. Two new members were pro- 

 posed — M.C L. Jury and Mr. Ifould. The Chairman then read 

 many extracts from letters received from observers in many 

 parts of the State, which were most interesting. The birds 

 under discussion for the evening were sombre coloured 

 little tits whose presence is hardly noticed as they 

 move about among the trees and bushes ever in 

 search of insects. Those skins under notice were: — 

 Acanthiza pusilla from New South Wales, A. pusilla macularia 

 from Victoria, A. p. archibaldi from King Island, A. p 

 diemenensis from Tasmania, A. p. zietzi from Kangaroo Island, 

 A. p. hamiltoni from the mallee districts, A. p. amo from 

 Eyre's Peninsula, A. p. consobrina from the interior of South 

 Australia. Specimens of the above were exhibited by Capt. 

 White, Mr. F. Parsons, and Mr. J. W. Mellor. 



Order Passeriformes, Family Meliphagidae, Genus 



Anthochaera. 



Anthochaera chrysoptcra intermedia (Brush Wattle Bird). 



Description. — Male primaries., greater part of basic end of 

 the inner webs, rufous; outer webs and remaining half of 

 inner webs, dark brown, tipped with white; upper surface, 

 blackish brown, each feather having a thin line of white down 

 the centre ; tail and wing coverts, blackish brown, tipped with 

 white; tail, dark brown, tipped with white; all the feather® of 

 the throat and chest, very dark brown, almost black, and ter- 

 minating in hair-like tips which are white; under surface, 

 blackish brown, each feather having a broad white line down 

 the centre; iris, brown; feet and legs, reddish brown; bill, 

 black. 



Measurements. — Total length of dry skin, 270 m.m. ; wing, 

 140 m.m.; bill, 25 m.m.; tarsus, 30 m.m. 



The only difference between the sexes may be the slightly 

 smaller size of the female. 



The young take the adult plumage from the nest. 



Distribution. — Found over South Queensland, New South 

 Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia, Kangaroo Island. 



