THE YELLOW WATTLE-BIED 



393 



The Yellow Minah. 



MyzantJia lutea. 

 West Australia. 



Closely allied to preceding, and representing it in the west. Larger 

 and rather more brightly coloured. Wing ~).S inches. 



Genus Acantliochcera. 

 Bill about length of rest of head, curved, culmen ridged. 

 Nostrils longitudinal, opereulated. First primary long. Tail 

 strongly graduated, longer than wing. Wattles on the sides of 

 the gape. Tasmania and Australia. 



Key to the Species. 



Wattles less than half an inch long. A. caruneulata. 



Wattles al)Ove an inch long. A. paradoxa. 



The Red Wattle-bird. 



Acantliochcera caruneulata. 



The southern half of the continent extending to South Queensland. 



Forehead and crown blackish-brown; hind neck, mantle and back 

 greyish-brown, each feather with a white central streak; upper tail-coverts 

 brown with white margins; centre of breast and abdomen bright yellow; 

 feathers of rest of under parts white with brown margins; loral and sub- 

 ocular regions silky white; bill dull brown; feet brownish; iris bright 

 hazel red; wattles not half an inch long, blood red; inside of mouth 

 yellow. Wing 6 to 6.4 inches. 



The Gill-birds appear in great numbers in mid New South 

 Wales in the winter, and frequent the Banksias, often driving 

 off the smaller birds. They are very noisy, giving out a harsh 

 discordant "Quash." The Honey-suckles are in flower here at 

 this time, and as usual the birds follow the food supply. 



The Yellow Wattle-bird. 



Acanthocltcera paradoxa (inauris). 



Tasmania and King Island in Bass Strait. 



Closely resembling preceding in coloration, but the brown and white 

 feathers have the pattern , reversed, the centres being brown and the 

 margins white; bill black; feet flesh-coloured; iris black-brown; wattles 

 over an inch long, yellow. Wing 6.2 to 7 inches. 



