THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
Leucos'pizias novcehollandice Gurney, List Dium. Birds of Prey, p. 33, 1884. 
Astur novcBhollandice subsp. leucosomus (not Sharpe) Ramsay, Cat. Austr. Ace., p. 12, 
1876 (N.Q.) ; id., Proc. Linn. Soc. N.S.W., Vol. II., p. 177, 1878 (N.Q.) ; id., Tab. 
List Austr. Birds, p. 1, 1888 (N.Q.) ; Hall, Key Birds Austr., p. 4, 1899 (N.Q.) ; 
Campbell, Nests and Eggs Austr. Birds, Vol. I., p. 6, 1901 (N.Q.) ; Le Souef, Emu, 
Vol. II., p. 85, 1902 (N.T.). 
Astur leucosomus (not Sharpe) North, Austr. Mus. Cat., no. 4, p. 11, 1898 ; Mathews, 
Handl. Birds Austral., p. 40, 1908. 
Astur 7iov(ETiollandi(B novoehollandioe Mathews, Nov. Zool., Vol. XVIII., p. 245, 1912. 
Astur riovcehollaridice alboides Mathews, Nov. Zool., Vol. XVIII., p. 246, 1912 ; Parry’s 
Creek, North-west Australia ; id.. South Austr. Omith., Vol. II., pt. i., p. 19, 
1915 (Q.). 
Astur novcehoUandicB leucosomus Mathews, ih. (N.Q.). 
Leucospim novcehollandice novcehollandice Mathews, List Birds Austr., p. 103, 1913 ; id.. 
Ibis 1914, p. 108 (N.T.). 
Leucospiza novcehollandice leucosoma Mathews, List Birds Austr., p. 103, 1913 (N.Q.?) ; 
id.. Austral Av. Rec., Vol. II., p. 106, 1914. 
Distribution. South Australia ; Tasmania ; Victoria ; New South Wales ; Queensland. 
Melville Island ; Northern Territory, North-west Australia. 
Adult female. Entire plumage, both above and below, uniform pure white ; bill black, 
cere and comer of mouth yeUow ; iris red ; tarsi and feet pale yellow. Total 
length 580 mm. ; culmen 30, wing 300, tail 240, tarsus 80. Figured. Collected 
on Melville Island, Northern Territory, on the 16th of June, 1912, by Mr. J. P. 
Rogers. 
Adult male. Similar to the adult female but smaller. Total length 450 mm. ; culmen 27, 
wing 258, tail 200, tarsus 73. Collected on Parry’s Creek, North-west Australia, 
on the 8th of October, 1908, by Mr. J. P. Rogers, and is the type of Leucospiza 
novcBhollaridice alboides. 
Immature. “ Pure white.” (G. Savidge.) 
Birds from North-west Australia, Northern Territory and North Queensland are 
on the whole generally smaller {alboides). The birds from the rest of Australia 
and Tasmania are novcehollandice. 
Leucospiza novcehollandice leucosomus (Sharpe) does not occur in Australia. Wing 
198 mm. 
Nest. A bulky structure of sticks. 
Eggs. Clutch two ; similar to those of L. clara. 
Breeding-season. August to December, 
It must be obvious that such a striking bird would claim attention from 
even the most casual observer, and consequently the first voyageur to touch 
Australia who saw so strange a novelty would record the fact. 
Consequently, when Furneaux touched at Tasmania, when the 
“ Adventure ” under his command became separated from the vessel under 
Captain Cook’s own supervision, a specimen of this bird was secured. When 
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