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 1 837. 
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. 
Elanus 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 cornuiences at the shoulders, and extends over the greater portion of the 
wing ; under surface of the shoulilers pure white, below which an oval spot of jet black ; primaries 
dark grey above, bro^vnish black l)eneath ; tail greyish white ; bill black ; cere and legs orange yellow. 
Total Icngfh, 14 inches ; wing, 11|; tail, 6;^^ ; tarsi, If. 
Halutat. 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 dili'ers 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 buif ; centre of the 
forehead and crown blackish brown, M'ith a slight tinge of blue passing into rich deep blue on the 
occiput and upper part of the Ijack ; lores, a narrow line beneath the eye and ear-coverts black ; 
feathers of the forehead slightly margined with buff; centre of tiie 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 tlie 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 cliaiiging into green ; throat white ; cliest and all the 
under surface delicate buff ; upjier mandible, and the edge and point of the lower black ; the base of 
the latter and the feet reddish Hesh colour. 
Total length, 8 inches ; bill, 1| ; wing, 3f ; tail, 2^ ; tarsi, |. 
Habitat. New South Wales. 
Nearly allied to Halcyon MacLeayii, of Messrs. Jardine and Selby. 
Family CAPRIMULGID^. 
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; 
wings longer 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. 1 94, 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, 6^ inches ; bill, ; wing, 3^ ; tail, 3^ ; tarsi, f . 
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. 
