ARTAMUS ALBIVENTRIS, Gould.
White-vented Wood-Swallow.
Artamus albiventris, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., March 23, 1847.
Two examples o f this species are all that have come under my notice; one of these was killed on the
Darling Downs in New South Wales, and the other some distance to the northward of that locality, it
being one o f the birds procured during Dr. Leichardt’s expedition to Port Essington. Its nearest ally
is the Artamus cinereus, a species inhabiting the opposite side o f the continent; but it is somewhat smaller,
and may moreover be distinguished from that bird by the white under tail-coverts, and the lighter colour of
the lower part of the abdomen. I regret that I have no information to communicate respecting its habits
and economy; they are doubtless very similar to those o f its representative above alluded to.
Lores, space beneath the eye and the chin deep black; head, neck and upper part o f the back brownish
grey; lower part of the back and the wings dark grey, becoming gradually deeper towards the tips o f the
feathers; primaries and secondaries narrowly edged with white at the tip ; under surface o f the wing white ;
ear-coverts, chest and abdomen pale grey, passing into white on the under tail-coverts ; upper tail-coverts
and tail black ; the apical third of all but the two middle ones white ; irides dark brown ; bill yellowish
horn-colour, becoming black at the tip ; feet blackish brown.
The figures are of the natural size.