THICK-BILLED GRASS-WREN. 
the eggs were described. Ashby wrote : “ The nest, containing two eggs, 
with the parent birds was obtained at Douglas Creek, near William Creek, 
Central Australia, in January, 1913, by my friend, Mr. J. R. B. Love. 
Mr. Love was able to secure the parent birds. One is in my collection, and the 
other in the Adelaide Museum. . . Mr. Love informs me that the parent 
bird crouched in the blue-bush, allowing him to approach and almost close 
the hand over it, when it flitted to the next bush. This species was seen at 
intervals from Douglas Creek to Barrow Creek.” 
When I received Captain S. A. White’s specimen from Indulkanna I 
named it 
Diaphorillas textilis indulkanna. 
“ Differs from D. t. modesta (North) in being darker above with a shorter 
tail and bill.” 
I now separate modestus as a distinct species. 
Upon my return from Australia I published the following note : 
“ Diaphorillas textilis modestus (North) was compared by North with a bird 
from Petermann Creek, which he considered the true 4 textilis ’ of Quoy et 
Gainiard. This bird I have since named D. i. purnelli ; it differs from West 
Australia birds from Day Dawn and Yalgoo in having a shorter tail, and the 
throat and under -surface much more suffused with reddish.” 
44 1 have birds from near Broken Hill, New South Wales, which agree 
with ‘ modestus ,’ which latter type I have examined. I have also examined 
the co-type of ‘ modestus ’ from Mossgiel District. The range, therefore, 
will be Central Australia and New South Wales (from Broken Hill to Mossgiel 
District).” 
Re-examining the birds from Broken Hill I find that they differ from 
typical modestus from the MacDonnell Ranges in being duller above, not so 
rufous on the rump, the throat whiter and the flanks browner. 
I name this \ \ 
Diaphorillas modestus obscurior subsp. nov. 
Type from Wyurra, Broken Hill, New South Wales, October 1st, 1912, and 
is figured and described. 
This makes at present three recognisable subspecies 
Diaphorillas modestus modestus (North). 
MacDonnell Ranges, Central Australia. 
Diaphorillas modestus indulkanna Mathews. 
Musgrave and Everard Ranges. 
Diaphorillas modestus obscurior Mathews. 
Interior of South-western New South Wales. 
VOL. x. 
185 
