DESCRIPTIONS OF NEW SPECIES OF 



AUSTRALIAN BIRDS. 



PRINCIPALLY IN THE AUTHOR'S COLLECTION, 

 WITH CHARACTERS OF SEVERAL NEW GENERA; 



Read at the Scientific Meeting of the Zoological Society in December 1837. 



The Author is induced to print these descriptions in the following form for the informa- 

 tion of Ornithologists generally. On his return from his intended visit to Australia these 

 pages will be cancelled, and each species will be illustrated and described in accordance with 

 the preceding portion of the present Synopsis. 



El anus notatus. Eye encircled by a narrow ring of black; forehead, sides of the face and 

 under surface of the body pure white ; back of the neck, back, scapularies, and upper tail-coverts de- 

 licate grey ; a jet black mark commences at the shoulders, and extends over the greater portion of the 

 wing; under surface of the shoulders pure white, below which an oval spot of jet black ; primaries 

 dark grey above, brownish black beneath ; tail greyish white ; bill black ; cere and legs orange yellow. 



Total length, 14 inches ; wing, 11 j; tail, 6£ ; tarsi, If. 



Habitat. New South Wales. 



Distinguished from Elanus melanopterus by the oval spot of black on the under surface of the wing, 

 whence its specific name ; it also differs from Elanus leucurus in the form of the tail as well as in other 

 characters. 



Halcyon incinctus. On each side of the forehead an oblong mark of buff; centre of the 

 forehead and crown blackish brown, with a slight tinge of blue passing into rich deep blue on the 

 occiput and upper part of the back ; lores, a narrow line beneath the eye and ear-coverts black ; 

 feathers of the forehead slightly margined with buff ; centre of the back changeable lilac and green ; 

 shoulders, greater and lesser wing-coverts greenish blue ; spurious wing and secondaries deep blue ; 

 primaries snow white at the base, forming a conspicuous mark in the centre of the wing, dark 

 brown for the remainder of their length, and margined on their outer webs with bluish green ; upper 

 tail-coverts metallic greenish blue ; tail deep blue changing into green ; throat white ; chest and all the 

 under surface delicate buff; upper mandible, and the edge and point of the lower black ; the base of 

 the latter and the feet reddish flesh colour. 



Total length, 8 inches; bill, 1 j ; wing, Sf; tail, 2J ; tarsi, \. 



Habitat. New South Wales. 



Nearly allied to Halcyon MacLeayii, of Messrs. Jardme and Selby. 



Family CAPRIMULGIDiE. 

 Genus EUROSTOPODUS. 

 Gen Char. Bill somewhat more produced and stouter than in Caprimulgus ; nostrils lateral and 

 linear -rictus entirely devoid of bristles, but furnished with short, weak, divided and branching hairs; 

 winqs\on%ev and more powerful than in Caprimulgus ; first and second quills equal, and longest; tail 

 moderately long and nearly square; tarsi stout, and clothed anteriorly for their whole length; toes 

 short, thick and fleshy ; outer ones equal, and united to the middle one by a membrane for more than 

 half their length ; nail of the middle toe strongly pectinated on the inner side. 



Types. Caprimulgus guttatus, Vig. and Horsf. in Linn. Trans, vol. xv. p. 192. 

 Caprimulgus albogularis, lb. p. 194, note. 



Myiagra nitida. The whole of the plumage deep blackish green, with a metallic lustre, with 

 the exception of the abdomen and under tail-coverts, which are white; bill black at the tip, passing 

 into bluish black at the base ; feet brownish black. 



Total length, inches ; bill, £ ; wing, 3J ; tail, 3 J ; tarsi, £. 



Habitat. New South Wales and Van Diemen's Land. 



Differs from Myiagra plumbea in its larger size, and in the darker and richer colouring of the plu- 

 mage. 



