THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
Reporting on a collection of birds received from the north-west collected 
by G. H. Hill, A. J. Campbell wrote : 4 4 The collection contained a series of 
two species of Microeca which greatly puzzled me. One I have referred to 
M. assimilis (Gould), while the other, which has a uniform coloured (dark 
brown) tail and back slightly tinged with olive, is referable, I have no doubt 
now, to the new Microeca I described from North Australia, from a mutilated 
skin then in the possession of Mr. D. Le Souef and which was named brunnei- 
cauda. This may be further distinguished by the yellowish -buff under wing- 
coverts, which are brownish-buff in the other kinds ” and gave an 44 amended 
description ” of the birds from Napier Broome Bay. 
His previous description emphasised the characters of his new species as 
the entirely brownish tail and much stouter bill. Hill himself wrote of the 
north-west birds : 44 These shy and very uncommon birds were seen only on 
Augustus Island and on the eastern side of Napier Broome Bay. A greenish- 
brown back and brown tail distinguish the species, even at a distance, from 
M. assimilis , while their habit of concealing themselves in the thickest growths 
of mangrove, and living entirely on small crabs and other forms of marine life, 
is in contrast to the conditions of life of the latter species. The loud notes 
of the species closely resemble those of the Yellow-faced Honey-eater ( Ptilotis 
chrysops ) of south-eastern Australia. One nest only was found which contained 
a single egg.” 
Mr. J. P. Rogers sent me specimens from Point Torment, north-western 
Australia, in April 1911, writing : 44 This species is not common and frequents 
the mangroves. Is often seen on the outskirts of the mangroves and at other 
times in the very densest thickets.” 
These I separated as a distinct subspecies thus : 44 Differs from Microeca 
b. brunneicauda Campbell in lacking the buff on the throat and in having the 
inner web of the three outer tail-feathers with a large whitish spot.” 
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