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Show 1874.] ON NEW SPECIES OF BIRDS FROM QUEENSLAND. 601 8. Descriptions of five n e w Species of Birds from Queensland, and of the E g g of Chlamydodera maculata. By E. P. RAMSAY, C.M.Z.S. [Received September 19, 1874.] 1. CYPSELUS TERR^E-REGIN^E, sp. nov. Whole of the upper surface, except the rump, very dark sooty brown tinged with metallic lustre, being of a darker brown on the outer webs and paler on the inner webs of the wing-feathers ; across the rump a greyish white band having a narrow line of dark brown down the shaft of each feather; whole of the under surface dull greyish brown, of a silky texture and somewhat glossy; under surface of wings and tail and the under tail-coverts of a darker tint, the basal half of all the feathers on the body nearly black; bill black ; feet blackish brown ; iris dark brown. Total length from 4 to 4 2 inches; bill from the nostril 0*1, from forehead 0'2, from angle of the mouth 0*45 ; wing from flexure 4*4 ; tail 2*1 to 2*4; tarsi 0 3 5. The sexes of this Swift are alike in plumage and size. The texture of the plumage is remarkably soft, and to the touch resembles the fur of a Bat. This species frequents the north-east coast ranges near Cardwell, Rockingham Bay, where it is tolerably plentiful, but very difficult to procure, from its small size and swift flight. Small flocks may be seen flying to and fro over the clearer parts of the lower spurs of the coast ranges ; and frequently the same troop returns to the same open ground day after day; towards evening others may be found sweeping over the tops of the scrubs and about precipitous sides of the rocky ridges, where they doubtless breed. I found several young or immature-plumaged birds; and none amongst those I obtained had the tail fully grown. I have never seen this species in any other part of Australia than near Rockingham Bay. It was observed in the neighbourhood of Cardwell during October 1873, and when I left in April 1874 was still numerous there. For the first knowledge of this and several other new and rare species I am indebted to Inspector Robert Johnstone, of the police force on the Herbert river near Cardwell, as well as for much valuable information on the natural history of that interesting region. 2. JELUROSDUS MACULOSUS, sp. nov. The whole of the head, including the chin, feathers at the base of the lower mandible, and ear-coverts, black, having a spot of white tinged with olive-green at the end of each feather ; the spots on the back of the head and neck become more distinctly tinged with olive-green as they approach the shoulders, where they are lost in the brown-green margin of the feathers, which, on their under surface, are of a bluish green tint. PROC ZOOL. Soc-1874, No. XXXIX. 39 |
