No. 7.] THE AUSTRAL AVIAN RECORD 147 



surface of shoulder black, broadly tipped with white ; 

 throat whitish, barred with chestnut ; bill greenish 

 yellow, darkest at the base and lighter at the tip ; iris 

 bright scarlet, bare space round the eye also scarlet ; 

 legs and feet vermihon ; length 15| inches ; wing 

 7| ; tail 2i ; bill 2i ; tarsus 2| ; middle toe If." 



" The habitats he (Mr. Cockerell) has given me being 

 Cape York and Thirsty Sound." 



In the British Museum is preserved a specimen from 

 Cockerell, which may be regarded as the type or substi- 

 tute type of Diggles' species. It is catalogued as from 

 [Aru Islands] but here again Cockerell's iniquity becomes 

 apparent, as this bird has, apparently, only otherwise 

 been obtained at the Aru Islands by Ribbe (Berlepsch, 

 Abhandl. Senckenb. Naturf. Gesells. Bd., XXXIV., 

 1911, p. 85) and is a rare bird. 



As the species was described from Mysol, it is possible 

 Diggles' name may come into service subspecifically at 

 some later date. 



The second paper was read 29th January, 1874, and 

 after an account of the habits of Menura alberti, given 

 to Diggles by the untruthful CockereU, four new birds are 

 described, all procured by Cockerell. 



Diggles exhibited drawings and described the birds 

 as follows : — 



'' Ardetta nigra, or the black bittern. 



" The head, neck, back, upper portion of the wings 

 and the tail are greyish black, primaries and secondaries 

 grey, lightest on the outer webs ; under-surface dark 

 blackish grey, tinged with brown ; legs and feet black ; 

 bill black, with a streak of yellowish horn colour on the 

 under mandible ; eyes yellow, cere greenish yellow. 

 Length 21 J inches ; wing 8| ; tail 3 ; tarsus 2| ; 

 bill 3|. This specimen was shot in a swampy region 

 full of reeds and aquatic vegetation, between the 

 Jardine and Kennedy rivers, about thirty miles from 

 Cape York." 



There is no specimen of this in the British Museum. 

 The description agrees fairly with that of Dupetor melas 



