washed with, blue; throat buff; under surface of the body and wings ferruginous ox-ange; on each side of the chest
a patch of bluish b lack; lores and a small patch behind the ears buff; crown of the head indistinctly barred with
black; irides and bill black; feet orange. Total length 6-jr inches I bill, 2 1 wing, 3 i; tail, I f ; tarsi, £.
Inhabits Van Diemen’s Land.
More robust than Alcyone azurea, or A. pulchra, and differing from both in the blue of the upper surface
being tinged with green.
66. Alcyone pulchra, Gould.
Alcyone pulchra, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Pax-t XIV. p. 19.
All the upper surface shining purplish blue; wings brownish black; lores, tuft behind the ear, and throat
bufl; under surface deep ferruginous orange; sides of the chest fine purplish blue, passing into a rich vinous tint
on the flanks; irides and bill black; feet orange. Total length 6 inches; bill, 2; wing, 2 f; tail, l i ; tarsi i
Inhabits the north coast of Australia.
This is the finest coloured species of the Australian Ala/ones, and is distinguished b y the beautiful vinous
colouring of the flanks.
67. Alcyone p u s i l l a ..................................................................... * , ‘ J B IL P i 86.
Family ?
Genus A r t a m u s , Vieill.
The members of this singular genus are distributed over New Guinea, O r a n , the Indian Main’s, and the
continent of India, but are more uumerous in Australia than elsewhere, its fauna comprising no less than seven
well-defined species.
68. Artamus sordidiis ; . . ; . . • . , gj| p i
69. Artamus minor, Vieill. . . | _ y 0j jj-
Mr. Gilbert found this species breeding in the interior of the country during Dr. Leichardfs overland journey
to Port Essington.
70. Artamus cinereus, Vieill.
71. Artamus albiventris, Gould
72. Artamus personatxis, Gould
73. Artamus superciliosus, Gould
74. Artamxxs leucopygialis, Gould
Vol. II. PI. 29.
Vol. II. 30,
Vol. II. PI. 31.
Vol. II. PI. 32.
Vol. II. PI. 33.
Family—— ?
Genus D i c t u m , Guo.
The continent of India, the Indian Islands and New Guinea are the countries in which the members of this
genus abound; as yet only a single species has been found in Australia.
75. Dicasum h iru n d in a ceum jj- gj 04
Family PIPRIDiE, Vig.
Genus P a r d a l o t u s , Vieill.
This form is peculiar to Australia, in every portion of which great country, including Van Diemen’s Land, one
or other of the species I have figured are to be found; some of them associated in the same'district, and even
inhabiting the same trees, while in other parts only a single species exists; for instance, the P. punctatus,
P.. quadragintus and P. affinis irxhabit Van Diemen’s Land; on the whole of the southern coast of the continent from
east to west P. punctatus and P. striatus ax’e associated; the north coast is the cradle of the species I have called
P. uropygialis, and the east coast that of P. melanocephalus, from both of which countries the others are excluded; the
true habitat of the beautiful species I have figured and described as P. rulricatus is not yet known.
The seven species of this little group are each individually very numerous, which, together with their general
distribution, may enable them to effect, some important operation’ in the economy of nature; their chief food
consisting of the larvae of insects.
76. Pardalotxxs punctatus . . . . . . . . . . . . . Vol. II. PI. 35.
77. Pardalotus nxbricatxxs, G o u l d ............................................... Vol. II. PI. 36.
78. Pardalotus quadragintxis,- Gould . . . . . . . . . . . Vol. II. PI. 37.
79. Pardalotus stxiatus . . . . . . . . . . . . . • Vol. II. PI. 3 8 .
80. Pardalotus a im s, G o u l d .............................................................................................................................Vol. II. PI. 39.
81. Pardalotxxs melanocephalus, Gould . . . . . . . . . . . Vol. II. PI. 40.
82. Pardalotxxs uropygialis, Gould . . . . . . . • Vol. II. PI. 41.
Family LANIADÆ, Vig.
Genus S t r e p e r a , Less..
Pi'ior to the commencement of the - present work only two species of this form (S . graculina and
S. Anaphonensis) had been desciibed, and these had been referred to a different genus by almost every author who
had occasion to mention them ; the older writers assigning them to Oorvus, Coradas and Gracula, and the more
modem ones to Cracticus and Barita : finding that them structure did not agree with the character of either of those
genera, I (in 1837) proposed to make the first-mentioned species the type of a new genxxs ( Coronica), not being
aware at the time that this had been done some years befoi'e by M. Lesson, whose name; having the priority, is
necessarily the one adopted.
My researches in Australia have enabled me to add four other species to the gx’oup, three possessing well-
defined specific characters, and one, the distinctive markings of which are not so apparent, but which, in my opiixion,
is equally distinct; the specific.characters of some groups of birds are, in fact, so difficxxlt to be detex*mined, both
from the similaxity of the species and the want of a knowledge of their natural habits, as to cause the naturalist no
little trouble and research in properly distinguishing them ; and to no group does this remark mox*e strongly apply
than to the one under consideration ; the ample materials, however, at my command, and the possession of a large
number of specimens, the sexes of which have all been ascertained by dissection, and the habits of which have
been observed in their native, localities, enables me to give as: perfect an account of this curious group as any
I have yet attempted.
On a careful examination of the members of this genus, it will be perceived that their relationship to the
Córvida, to which they have been usually assigned, is very remote, their size and colour being, in fact, the only
features of resemblance ; their whole structure and economy is indeed very different from those of every other bird
known, except those of Gymnorhina and Cracticus, with which genera they form a very natural group among the
great family of Laniada or Shrikes.
All the species yet discovered are not only peculiar to Australia, but are strictly- confined to the southern
portion of that continent ; their range being limited to the country comprised within the 25th and 40th degrees of
south latitude ; future research may, howevex*, add both to the nxxmber of species and to the extent of their range ;
still their great stronghold is undoubtedly the most southenx portion of the Australian continent, the islands of
Bass’s Stx-aits and Van Diemen’s Land.
Most of these birds seek their food on or near the ground, sometimes in swampy situations, and even on the
sea-shox-e, at others on the most sterile plains far distant from water ; grasshoppers and insects of every order are
eaten by them with avidity, and to these grain, seeds and fruits áre frequently added ; they Txop with remai’kable
agility over the broken surface of the ground, and leap from branch to branch with great alacrity : their flight is.