Australian Birds . 
393 
and nearly allied to Petroica, I propose to make the type of a 
new genus, Dry modes, signifying a lover of woodland places:— 
Genus Drymodes. 
Characteres generici.—Rostrum rectum, ad latera apicein versus 
paulo compressum, fer& longitudine capitis, apice levitdr 
denticulato, basi vibrissis pared instructs. Alee mediocres, 
rotundatffi, remigum primo brevissimo, quinto longissimo. 
Cauda mediocriter elongata, pauld rotundata. Tarsi longi, 
graciles, antice superficie Integra. Digiti mediocres, externus 
norum quam internus paulo longior, posticus cum ungue 
quam digitus intermedius cum ungue brevior. 
Drymodes rrunneopygia. Dry.fusca; primariis apud 
pogonia interna albo transversim striatis; uropygio tec - 
tricibusque can dee rufo-fusew. 
Head and all the upper surface brown, passing into rufous 
brown on the upper tail-coverts; wings dark brown, the coverts 
and primaries edged with dull -white ; primaries and secondaries 
crossed near the base on their inner webs with pure white ; tail 
rich brown, all but the two middle feathers tipped with white ; 
under surface greyish brown, passing into buff on the under 
tail-coverts ; irides, bill, and feet blackish brown. 
Total length, 8 inches; bill, wing, 3$ ; tail, 4J; tarsi, 1J. 
Hob. Belts of the Murray in South Australia. 
This bird, although of a large size and so sombre in colour¬ 
ing, is nearly allied to Petroica . 
The next is an extraordinary form among the Muscicapidce, 
differing from all the other known members of that group in 
having the bill compressed laterally, for which reason I propose 
to constitute it the type of a new r genus, with the following name 
and characters:— ^ 
Genus Piezorhynciius. 
Characteres generici .— Rostrum quam caput longius, altius 
plusquam latum, fere cylindraceum, lateraliter compressum, 
apicem versus denticulatum. Nares parvae, rotundatae, 
basales. Ala breves, reinige primo mediocri, quarto longis¬ 
simo. Cauda aliquantd brevis et rotundata. Tarsi medio¬ 
criter elongati et pauld debiles. Digitus externus et medius 
inter se connexi usque ad artieulum primum, externus longis- 
simus. 
The only specimen I possess w r as forwarded to me by E. 
Dring, Esq., Surgeon of H.M.S. Beagle , by whom it w r as 
procured on the north-west coast of Australia. From the glossy 
nature of its plumage I propose to name it 
Piezorhynchus nitidus. Piez. fulgidh virescenti-niger. 
All the plumage, including the wings and tail, rich deep 
glossy greenish-black; bill and feet black. 
Total length, 7J inches; bill, 1J; wing, 3]; tail, 3]; tarsi, 
Hab. North-w T est coast of Australia. 
