with grey; chin, dul] white, passing into greyish-brown on the chest; the remainder of the under 
surface greyish-brown, each feather having a strip of dull white, hounded on either side with black, 
running down the centre, the lines becoming blended, indistinct, and tinged with buff on the centre 
of the abdomen ; irides, brown ; bill and feet, black. 
The female has the chestnut marking round the eye much richer, and has on the breast a 
series of feathers »>f a rusty red colour, with a broad stripe of dull white down their middles, the 
stripes appearing t<> radiate from a common centre. 
Total length, f> inches; bill. ; inch: wing, 'M, inches; tail, 2£ inch; tarsi, | inch. 
Habitat: New South Wales. 
CLIMACTEEIS MELANOXOTA (Gould). 
B LA C 'A'- BA CKED TREE- CREEP E E. 
ON the day of his death, during Lcichhardt's expedition to Port Essington, Gilbert procured this 
among other specimens, but had not time to note any particulars of its habits, of which we 
are therefore in ignorance. 
In this species also the female is distinguished from the male by its finer colouring, though 
not to such an extent as in Climacteris Erythrops. 
The most distinctive point in its colouring, as compared with the other species, is the very 
dark back. 
Line before and behind the eye. all the upper surface, wings, and tail, dark brownish-black ; 
the base of the primaries, secondaries, and tertiaries, and the under surface of the shoulder, buff; 
undei surface, pale vinous-brown, the feathers of the abdomen, with a stripe of dull white, bounded by 
black, running down the centre ; at the base of the throat several irregular Spots of black ; under tail- 
coverts, buff, crossed by bars of black : irides, brown. 
In the female the markings of the abdomen are larger and more conspicuous, and the spots 
at the base of the throat are chestnut instead of black. 
Total length, 5r, inches ; bill, 'f inch ; wing, 3^ inches ; tail, 2\ inches ; tarsi, inch. 
Habitat : North coast of Australia. 
CLIMACTEEIS SCAXDEXS (2W) 
BRO WN TREE-CREEPER. 
rill IK whole of New South Wales, Victoria, and South Australia is inhabited by the Brown Tree- 
Creeper. It is to be found chiefly in the open Eucalyptus and Apple-tree country, the latter 
tree especially being a favourite haunt on account of the numerous insects to which its rough bark 
affords a hiding-place. Very few insects can escape the notice of this smart little bird, as it not 
only looks for them on the outside of the branches and trunk, but dives into all the hollow parts 
of the tree, and also spends much of its time on the ground among fallen logs. 
