THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
Richmond Rivers. It is stated to have been obtained on the Upper Hunter 
and Paterson Rivers, and extends to the Dawson River, Queensland. As 
we go further north and reach the Burdekin and Herbert Rivers, the birds 
are of a deeper tint, almost of a blood-red on the back ; this variety is found 
inland as far as the Norman River and Port Essington, whence I have 
obtained specimens ; still further west at Port Dawson and Derby the birds 
become deepest in colour and of a dear blood-red on the back.” He then wrote : 
“Among an interesting series of Red-backed Wrens, I find the skin of a young 
individual which has a few crimson feathers on the shoulder, back and rump ; 
the remainder and upper tail-coverts and flanks are fight fawn colour ; 
wings and tail feathers brown margined with fawn ; throat and abdomen 
white, the sides and adjacent flank feathers and thighs tinged with cinnabar- 
red, under tail-coverts fight fawn colour ; bill brown ; an ashy spot in front 
of the eye ; two or three of the outer tail-feathers tipped with fight fawn 
colour or fight brown. This may, hereafter, be proved to belong to a 
distinct species, and, if so, should bear the name of its discoverer, Mr. Boyer- 
Bower, Malurus cruentatus Boweri .” 
In my “ Reference List ” in 1912, I ranged the species under three 
subspecies, thus : 
Malurus melanocephalus melanocephalus Latham. 
New South Wales, South Queensland. 
Malurus melanocephalus pyrrhonotus Mathew's. 
“ Has the general coloration of M. m. cruentatus, but is slightly larger ; 
wing 44-47 mm. ; M. m. cruentatus, 38-47 mm. Cairns.” 
North Queensland. 
Malurus melanocephalus cruentatus Gould. 
North-west Australia. 
Shortly afterward I received specimens from Melville Island and I fixed 
the type locality of M. cruentatus as Derby, North-west Australia, and named 
Malurus melanocephalus melvillensis. 
“ Differs from M. m. cruentatus in its much deeper, darker red back. 
Melville Island.” 
Melville Island, Northern Territory. 
Then Witmer Stone, reviewing the types in the Philadelphia collection, 
wrote : “ North-west Coast, $ Port Essington=Type. All the series are 
labelled brownii Vig., the name used in the Birds of Australia .” 
Consequent upon this conclusion, I admitted in my 1913 “ List ” four 
subspecies using the generic name Ryania, as 
Piyania melanocephala melanocephala (Latham). 
New South Wales, South Queensland. 
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