_J. Gould and H. C. Richter del et lith._ _Hullmandel & Walton Imp._
]
SPHECOTHERES AUSTRALIS, _Swains._
Australian Sphecotheres.
_Sphecotheres viridis_, Vig. and Horsf. in Linn. Trans., vol. xv. p.
215.
—— _virescens_, Jard. and Selb. Ill. Orn., vol. ii. pl. 79.
—— _Australis_, Swains.
—— _canicollis_, Swains. Anim. in Menag., p. 320.
I killed a fine specimen of this bird on Mosquito Island, at the mouth
of the river Hunter, in September 1839; it was perched on a dead branch
which towered above the green foliage of one of the high trees of the
forest, and my attention was drawn to it by its loud and singular note:
this was the only example that came under my observation: I am informed
that it is more plentiful in the neighbourhood of the river Clarence,
and abundant at Moreton Bay, and that it enjoys a wide range is proved
by Mr. Bynoe having procured an adult male on the north coast. It
appears to be a bird peculiar to the brushes, and its food doubtless
consists of the berries and fruits which abound in those districts.
The sexes differ very widely from each other in the colouring of their
plumage; that of the male being in masses, while that of the female is
of a striated character.
The male has the crown of the head and the cheeks glossy black; orbits
and a narrow space leading to the nostrils naked and of a light buffy
yellow; throat, chest and collar at the back of the neck dark
slate-grey; all the upper surface, greater wing-coverts, outer webs of
the secondaries, abdomen and flanks yellowish green; lesser
wing-coverts, primaries, and inner webs of the secondaries slaty black,
fringed with grey; vent and under tail-coverts white; tail black, the
apical half and the outer web of the external feather pure white; the
apical half of the second feather on each side white, the next on each
side with a large spot of white at the extremity, and the six central
feathers slightly fringed with white at the tip; bill black; irides very
dark brown in some, red in others; feet flesh-colour.
The female has the upper surface brown washed with olive, each feather
with a darker centre, assuming on the head the form of striæ, the brown
hue passing into yellowish green on the rump and upper tail-coverts;
wings dark brown, the coverts and secondaries conspicuously, and the
primaries narrowly, edged with greenish grey; under surface buffy white,
each feather with a broad and conspicuous stripe of brown down the
centre; flanks washed with yellowish green; under tail-coverts white,
with a narrow stripe of brown down the centre; tail brown, each feather
narrowly edged on the inner web with white, and all but the two lateral
ones on each side washed with yellowish green; bill and feet lighter
than in the male.
The figures represent a male and a female of the natural size.
[Illustration: