r 
LITTLE BRONZE CUCKOO. 
now. January 14th, 1912 : None were seen or heard at the north side of the 
island, i.e., ten miles S.E. of Snake Bay. February 6th, 1912 : Cooper’s Camp : 
Since returning here I have heard this species but seen none. Is not so numerous 
as in December, 1911.” Zietz described the MelviUe Island form as a new 
subspecies, without, however, giving any notes upon its habits. 
It has also been recorded by Barnard from the Northern Territory, but early 
records from Cape York and the Gulf country cannot be accepted. A pecuhar 
factor, however, in connection with all these records is that probably two distinct 
species live in these locahties, and consequently aU the work must be done again. 
From North-west Austraha, Melville Island, and western Northern 
Territory only this species has been received : from the Gulf country and Cape 
York a few birds apparently belonging to this species have been recognised, 
though the majority belong to the next one. 
The Melville Island series show the following features, which are exceedingly 
interesting, in view of the results seen in the case of the next species and the 
comphcations therewith. The Melville Island birds show scarcely any variation 
as to under-surface : the immature at first are unbarred ; the next stage show 
few distant narrow bars on breast, becoming more numerous and extending 
on to the throat ; and the under tail-coverts are barred ; the female appears 
to be less barred than the male. The immature above is dull glossy greenish, 
developing into greenish -bronze, the head dark bluish-bronze, a white line more 
or less interrupted above the eyes ; the wing has the inner webs of the 
primaries white with a faint salmon tinge, perhaps more pronounced in female. 
The banding on the tail-feathers varies according to age and sex, but not 
a great deal. 
The north-western form is quite like these, but has a much more pro- 
nounced blue head and a stronger bluish tinge on the back. A bird from Port 
Darwin agrees fairly well with the Melville Island series. 
The eyehds are marked as scarlet for male birds, but, with one exception, 
the females are given as having grey eyehds. 
The exact relationship of this species to any other is perplexing, as I have 
one bird from Cape York (Utingu, May 16th, 1912 S) No. 13177, which agrees 
in the main with the above but differs in having the upper-surface coppery- 
bronze throughout, quite unlike the greenish and bluish -bronze of the fore- 
going : the head is only slightly darker, whereas the deeper coloration appears 
almost as a cap in the north-western form. 
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