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Show 1866.] DR. J. KAUP ON TWO NEW BACILLI. 577 woven and matted together with various cobwebs, being lined with the silky down of the cotton-tree or opossum-fur; the entrance, which is about 2\ inches down the side, is 1 inch in diameter, and completely hidden from view in front by a neatly woven hood of \\ inch in length. The nests are often placed in trees covered with ants, which insects are often found on the nests themselves, but do not, as far as I am aware, cause the bird any anxiety. The eggs, which are laid from October to December, and sometimes even as late as January, are three in number. Their ground-colour is of a delicate white, but almost hidden by numerous spots, dots, blotches, and freckles of dull red; in some the markings are thicker upon the larger end, where they form a well-defined zone or circular blotch; others are minutely dotted. Upon the whole, both in shape and colour, they closely resemble those of the Blue Wren (Malurus cyaneus), but may be distinguished by being more thickly and strongly marked; they are also slightly larger and more lengthened in form. This species shows a decided preference for the more open parts of the forest, with thickly foliaged trees and young saplings of Eucalyptus ; its actions among the leaves, where it searches for insects, their larvae, spiders, & c , are very pleasing and graceful,-stopping in its search every now and then to pour forth its curious and varied song, in which it will sometimes stop abruptly and fly off without finishing, as if something had startled it or suddenly attracted its attention. Although well suited for the purpose, the Bronze Cuckoos seldom lay their eggs in the nests of this species. Still it must be numbered among the fosterparents of that bird, although such is rarely the case. 9. Description of T w o N e w Species of the Genus Bacillus, Latr. By Dr. J. K A U P , C.M.Z.S. BACILLUS GERHARDII. Viridis ; capite carina obliqua inter oculos et basin antennarum, vertice punctis duabus nigris intermediis; occipite globuloso ; hoc et thorace subgranulatis; meso- et metathorace spinulis parvis armatis ; tibiis et tarsis prope basin foliolo parvo acuto instructis. In the typical male specimen preserved in the Museum at Darmstadt the meso- and metathorax have some short spines, black on the end, which are shorter on the abdominal segments. All the legs are slender, with short spines ; two of them, on the underside, next the end of the four hind femora, are larger. The antennae, twenty-three-jointed, have some black spots. Mas. Long. corp. 4" 2'", antenn. 6'", mesoth. 71'", metath. 7"', abd., with the short anal styles (£'"), 22'". • Hab. New Zealand (received from Mr. Gerhard Miiller, of Inver-cargail). |