CLIMACTERIS MELANURA, Gould.
Black-tailed Tree-Creeper.
Climacteric melanura, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Part X. p. 138.
H it h e r t o I had believed that all the members o f this genus were confined to the southern portions of
Australia, but that such is not the case is proved by the circumstance of Mr. Bynoe having killed the bird
here represented on the northern coast. It exceeds all the other species in size and also differs from them
in its colouring, particularly in the lanceolate feathers on the throat and in the black colour of the tail.
Nothing whatever is known of its habits or general economy, but judging from its structure, it doubtless
closely assimilates to its congeners in all these particulars. The specimen I possess, and from which my
figure is taken, is, I believe, the only one that has yet been sent to Europe.
Forehead, all the upper surface and the tail-feathers velvety brownish black; the occiput and back o f the
neck stained with ferruginous brown; primaries and secondaries dark brown at the base and at the tip, the
intermediate space buff, forming a conspicuous band across the wing when expanded; feathers of the throat
white, edged all round with black, giving the throat a striated appearance; abdomen and flanks ferruginous
brown ; under tail-coverts black, irregularly crossed with bars of buff; bill and feet blackish brown.
The figures represent the bird in different positions of the natural size.