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Show 1868.] MR. E. P. RAMSAY ON BIRDS FROM QUEENSLAND. 385 outer two tail-feathers margined with white. This is said to be a female, and is slightly smaller in size. I scarcely consider these differences sufficient for the foundation of a new species, notwithstanding many have been founded upon less, but for the present will defer the matter until I have obtained other specimens from the same locality. 19. CISTICOLA RUFICEPS. During the last two years I have been getting together a series of this species for comparison, from all parts of Australia. It ranges from Cape York to Adelaide, South Australia. The young males resemble the females in having the head and all the upper surface striated black and rufous buff. Adult males, with rufous head and rump, are frequently found with half-grown wings and tails: this is one theory. Another is, that M r . Gould's C. ruficeps is the young of C. exilis or C. isura; and with this I a m at present most inclined to agree. M y specimens throw no light on the subject, save that I have no examples of the rufous-headed and rumped birds with long, or fully grown tails, while I have specimens of the same with short tails and a few striated feathers on the crown. I believe C. ruficeps of M r . Gould to be the young, and perhaps the young male alone of the striated birds, which may be either Cisticola exilis, C. isura, or C. lineocapilla, Mr. Gould's descriptions (?) of each being referable to the striated females of C. ruficeps. The size of Cisticola ruficeps varies according to the age of the bird, the young ones with short tails being only 2 inches, the striated adults 4*7 (including their long tail), rufous-headed males 4*5 inches ; so that no specific value can be placed on measurements of the tails. The wings differ by -^j inch, and the bills by -f^ inch. The nest of C. ruficeps is a neat, round, cup-shaped structure, composed of grass, hair, interwoven with cobweb, and half suspended by the branches and stems of grass and weeds amongst which it is placed. The eggs are three in number, light blue blotched and dotted with dull reddish brown. 20. CHLAMYDODERA NUCHALIS. 21. MIMETA FLAVOCINCTA. 22. SPHECOTHERES FLAVIVENTRIS. 23. CALORNIS METALLICA. 24. GLICIPHILA SUBFASCIATA, sp. nov. . Female. Total length 4*8 inches ; bill, from the angle of the mouth 0*6, from forehead 0*5, width at base 0*2, across nostrils 0*1 ; wing, from flexure 2*5 ; tail 2 ; tarsi 0*65. The whole of the upper surface, sides of the head, and neck glossy brown, a short oblique stripe under the eye white, feathers on the crown of the head centred with dark brown. The whole of the under surface and the extreme tips of the ear-coverts silvery white. The chest faintly barred with lines of brown, which join the sides PROC. ZOOL. Soc-1868, No. XXV. |