THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
aspect of tail greyish-brown on the central feathers becoming paler on the outer 
ones which are white on the terminal portion. Bill black, feet and tarsus fleshy- 
white, eyes brown, orbits red. Total length 290 mm. ; culmen 22, wing 149, tail 103, 
tarsus 24. Figured. Collected on Melville Island, Northern Territory, on the 11th 
of Mav, 1912. 
Adult female. Crown of head, sides of face, hind-neck, sides of neck, and throat smoke- 
brown, with pale margins to the feathers ; upper back and scapulars dark smoke- 
brown with minute pale dots at the tips of the feathers ; upper wing-coverts, bastard- 
wing, and flight-quills similar with whitish, or yellowish- white margins ; lower 
back, upper tail-coverts and tail yellowish- green, the outer-tail feathers smoke- 
brown with whitish edgings ; breast, abdomen, and. under tail-coverts white 
streaked with smoke-brown, which become narrower on the lower-abdomen and 
almost obsolete on the under tail-coverts ; axillaries, under wing-coverts, and 
inner margins of quills below whitish-buff, remainder of quill-lining greyish-brown ; 
lower aspect of tail greyish-brown with an indistinct tinge of yellowish on the central 
feathers. Bill brown, feet and tarsus bluish-grey, eyes brown, orbits leaden-blue 
tinged with red. Total length 138 mm. ; culmen 22, wing 157, tail 108, tarsus 26. 
Figured. Collected on Melville Island, Northern Territory, on the 14th of May, 
1912. 
Immature female. Very similar to adult but head striping more obscure, feathers of the 
back duller brown, feathers of the under-surface with broader white edgings ; tail 
similar but wing-coverts, secondaries and primaries with broader white edgings. 
Immature male (nestling). Head darker less distinctly striped, back, tail, and all under 
parts similar to preceding but differing in wing coloration ; secondaries with pale 
green edges, secondary coverts pale brown edgings and other coverts lacking white 
tipping generally. 
Immature male (in change). Feathers of head brownish-green, the centres darker, mixed 
with a few new black ones ; at the back of the neck the feathers are similarly mixed 
but the dark ones predominate ; feathers of the upper back dull green with dark 
shaft-stripes ; rump and upper tail-coverts pure bright green ; primaries brown ; 
secondaries brown with the outer webs greenish, edgings greenish-white ; primary- 
coverts brown with whitish edges ; secondary coverts green with white tips ; other 
coverts green without paler tips ; tail-feathers greenish above, pale brownish below ; 
four centre ones bright green above ; next four brown on inner webs, green on outer 
webs, outside four pale brown with a faint greenish tinge ; under-surface showing bold 
striping ; feathers of throat brown with greenish- white edgings, the edgings very 
narrow ; on the upper-breast the edgings a little broader and also more yellowish- 
green ; on the lower-breast the central brown stripe narrower, the edgings broader 
and still more yellowish ; abdomen and under tail-coverts white ; inner wing-lining 
pale brown with white edges. Iris brown ; bill dark horn colour ; legs and feet 
flesh colour. 
Nest. Very similar to that of vieilloti. Saucer-shaped, thinly built of twigs, vinelets, 
etc., firmly held together. No lining. Outside dimensions 5 inches by 3 deep. 
Inside 3| by 1|. 
Eggs. Clutch, three. Ground-colour greenish to greenish-white or even greenish-brown, 
spotted and blotched with reddish-brown or purple. 31-36 mm. by 22-24. 
Breeding-season. October to January. 
This beautiful species was described by Gould, who gave the following note : 
“ This bird may always be distinguished from its near ally by the beautiful 
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