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Show 1878.] COLLECTED BY THE 'CHALLENGER.' 121 about Cape York. The following two, however, have not been procured at Cape York ; they were shot on shore (Totanus incanus and JEgialites inornatus). A great many flocks of Bee-eaters were noticed making passages between the islands." " O n 9th Sept., 1874, a party landed on Booby Island, a very small island, with only a few shrubs on it. The following land birds were shot or brought on board; and in addition a Rail was seen, a Megapodius, and one other land bird." (The species obtained were Todirhamphus sanctus, Merops ornatus, Zosterops luteus, Pachycephala sp., Ptilopus superbus, and Synoecus cervinus.) In the following list I have, with a few exceptions, followed the arrangement and nomenclature of Mr. Gould's ' Hand-book to the Birds of Australia.' 1. NINOX BOOBOOK (Lath.). Ninox boobook, Sharpe, Cat. of B. ii. p. 168. Spiloglaux marmoratus, Gld. Handb. B. Austr. i. p. 73. One male skin of this species from Cape York. No. 167. "Stomach contained insects" (Murray, MS.). The specimen sent agrees generally with two skins in Mr. Godman's collection from the same locality, and with Mr. Gould's description of Spiloglaux marmoratus, which Mr. Sharpe, in the second volume of his catalogue, treats as " the adult of the large form of A", boobook" (I. c. p. 170). 2. PODARGUS PAPUENSIS, Quoy & Gaim. Podargus papuensis, Quoy & Gaim. Voy. de l'Astrol. Ois. t. 13 ; Gould, B. of Austr. Supp. pl.; id. Handb. B. Austr. i. p. 91. "No. 186, 2- Eyes red, feet and bill light yellow. Stomach contained insects." Cape York, one specimen. 3. MEROPS ORNATUS, Lath. Merops ornatus, Gld. B. of Austr. ii. pl. 16 ; id. Handb. i. p. 117. In all four specimens of this common Australian species. Two females from Booby Island (Nos. 199, 200), and a pair (3 & 2) from Cape York (nos. 147 and 178). Of all the eyes are stated to be "red," and the feet and legs black, except the female from Cape York, which is described as having the legs "with violet tint." The three females differ considerably from one another in the length of the produced middle tail-feathers; in the male the produced part is thinner and at least twice as long as in the other sex. 4. TODIRHAMPHUS SANCTUS (Vig. & Hors.). Todirhamphus sanctus, Gld. Handb. B. Austr. i. p. 128 ; Sharpe, Alced. pl. 91. One specimen from Booby Island. "No. 192, 3. Eyes black; mandibles black, except base of lower one, which is whitish. Stomach had remains of a crab." |