300 ON THE GENUS ARTAMUS 



Ariamvs sordidus, Gray, Gen. B. i. p. 285 (1845) ; Gould, B. Austr. folio, ii. pi. 27 (1818) ; 

 Blyth, Cat. B. Mus. A. S. B. p. 200 (1849) ; Rciclienb. Vcig. NeuhoU. p. 168 (1848) ; 

 Bp. Consp. i. p. 344 (1850) ; Cab. Mus. Hein. i. p. 208 (1850) ; Gould, Ilandb. B. 

 Austr. i. p. 143 (1865); Ramsay, Ibis, 1866, p. 327; Gray, Hand-1. B. i. p. 289. 

 no. 4274 (1869) ; Muller, P. Z. S, 1869, p. 279 ; Ramsay, P. Z. S. 1875, p. 584. 



6 ad. suprk chocolatinus, dorse postico et uropygio saturatioribus, supracaudalibus paullo nigricanti- 

 bus : loris et genis anticis obscur^ fuseescentibus : subtus chocolatino-brunneus, abdomine imo 

 et bypochondriis luagis rufescentibus, subeaudalibus nigris, subalaribus albis : ala schistaceo- 

 cinerea : remigibus saturatiiis cinereis, primariis extus albis : rectricibus nigris, albo termi- 

 natis, duabus mediis omuino nigris, rectricis extima; pogonio interuo tantum albo : remigibus 

 infrk sordid^ cinereS, : rostro cyaneo, apicaliter nigro : pedibus lacteseenti-plumbeis : iride 

 saturate brunnea. Long. tot. 7, culmen 0"7, alse 5"1, caudte 3'1, tarsi 0'75. 



2 mari similis : vix minor. 



Hah. Australia ; Van Diemen's Land. 



The distribution of this species is given by Mr. Gould as follows : — " No 

 species of the Australian Artami with which I am acquainted possesses so 

 wide a range as the present ; the whole of the southern portion of the 

 continent, as well as the island of Tasmania, being alike favoured with its 

 presence. The extent of its range northward has not yet been satisfactorily 

 ascertained, beyond the certainty that it has not hitherto been received in 

 any collection from the north coast. It may be regarded as strictly migratory 

 in Tasmania, where it arrives in October, and after rearing at least two 

 broods departs again in'a northward direction. On the continent of Australia 

 it arrives rather earlier, and departs later ; but a scattered few remain 

 throughout the year in all the localities favourable to their habits, the 

 number being regulated by the supply of insect food necessary for their 

 subsistence. I may here observe that specimens from Swan River, South 

 Australia, and New South Wales present no difference either in size or 

 colouring; while those from Tasmania are invariably larger in all their 

 measurements, and are also of a deeper colour." 



In Mr. Ramsay's paper the range is tabulated as follows : — " Rockingham 

 Bay ; Port Denison ; Wide-Bay district ; Richmond-and-Clarence-Rivers 

 district ; New S. Wales ; Interior ; Victoria ; South Australia : Tasmania." 



