STRIATED GRASS-WREN. 
p 
shape. With regard to A. goyderi I am decidedly sceptical. Where the 
former was obtained I saw nothing but striata .” 
In the Emu, Yol. XVIII., pt. 2, a plate was given of Amytornis striata, 
and p. 81 Campbell made some remarks “ on the geographic range and 
colour variation of this species.” “ The dullest (hazel) phase appears to 
be the extreme eastern birds — Mallee (Victoria) and New South Wales (type 
locality) — while the richer coloured (bright auburn or Sanford’s brown) 
phase extends northward, and through the great interior to western West 
Australia. Of the extreme eastern birds, the true striata might be united 
with howei (Mathews) which is stated to differ from the former in ‘being 
red-brown above and in having the white shaft-streaks bordered by a line 
of black . . “A pair of howei, the subject of the coloured plate.” 
“ Gould’s plate more assimilates the richer coloured interior form.” [This 
is very contradictory.] “ There is less variety among the rich auburn-headed 
and mantled birds, which apparently come under one group, namely : — 
rufa (Campbell and Kershaw), interior of Northern Territory. 
oweni (Mathews), interior of Western Australia. 
whitei (Mathews), Mid-west Australia. 
“ Therefore, we can, in Amytornis striata, recognise generally two forms 
or races — striata proper (Eastern) and whitei, the more auburn phase (Interior 
and Western). Nestlings of the two forms can likewise be separated. 
Dimensions in mm. : 
Eastern : Length 160-170 wing 61 tail 80-85 tarsus 23 culmen 10 
Central „ 165 „ 62 „ 89 „ 22 „ 12 
Western „ 165 ,, 60 „ 80 „ 22 ,, 13 
“ Amytornis merrotsyi Mellor from South Australia appears to be a robust 
variety of striata — probably a distinct species ; it is not a subspecies of 
textilis, as indicated by Mathews in his 1913 ‘ List,’ p. 232.” \\ 
Mellor’s diagnosis states that merrotsyi differs from striata by the large 
amount of rusty-chestnut on the head and mantle, the absence of black beneath 
the eye and on the ear-coverts, and by its much shorter tail. The feet and legs 
are larger and shorter. Mellor’s measurements contradict this if compared 
with the above ; given in hundreds of an inch and here reduced to mm., 
merrotsyi $ Length 150 mm. ; wing 66 ; tail 82 ; tarsus 28 ; culmen 15. 
The much longer bill and longer stouter legs are noteworthy. Bill dark 
horn is not right. 
When I received specimens from the Victorian Mallee I described 
Diaphorillas striatus howei. 
“ Differs from D. striatus Gould from West Australia (which is believed 
to be the same species as that found in New South Wales) in being red-brown 
197 
