THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
Macgillivray added : “ Mr. McLennan found this small Butcher-Bird 
very numerous at Cape York between the 16-mile point on the telegraph line 
and the Jardine River, where several old nests were noted. Several nests were 
obtained by Mr. Wheatley on the Batavia. $ irides dark brown ; bill, basal 
half light horn-colour, rest black ; legs greyish-black. $ irides dark brown ; 
bill, basal half light horn-colour, rest black ; legs slaty-colour. Stomach 
contents in both, beetles. Length in flesh 9| inches.” 
Later he noted : “Was fairly plentiful in the forest country along the 
Archer River.” 
The above is the complete history down to date and there is not much 
to add on the technical side. Soon after Barnard had discovered the bird 
Mr. Robin Kemp collected a series for me and upon comparison with typical 
birds I described the Australian form. 
My description reads 
“ Gr adieus mentalis Icempi. 
“ Differs from C. m. mentalis in its smaller size throughout. Cape York 
(North) Queensland.” 
In the Emu, Vol. X., p. 337, 1911, Campbell recorded the New Guinea 
G. mentalis Salvadori and d’Albertuis as a Cape York breeding bird. I have 
now received a series of birds from that locality, and upon comparison with a 
series from the type locality I find that the Cape York bird is smaller in every 
dimension. An immature specimen from Nicura (the type locality), which is 
just commencing to take on the adult plumage, has a wing equalling that of 
the largest Australian specimen while its bill is much heavier. The back of the 
neck in the Australian bird has less white, and the white on the tail-feathers is 
less extensive. The bill in the New Guinea bird is longer and heavier, and the 
tarsi are also longer and stouter. Measurements of largest Australian specimen : 
Culmen (exp.) 36 depth 14 wing 145*5 tarsus 28 mm. 
Nicura juvenile 36 „ 16 „ 146 „ 31 „ 
Nicura adults 41-42*5 „ 16 „ 151-153 „ 31 „ 
In my 1913 “ List ” I transferred it to Bulestes, but I now find these birds 
a little more complex than anticipated, and it seems that this bird agrees 
structurally with Bulestes through a different series of developmental stages, 
which I am now working out. 
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