Page:The Emu volume 3.djvu/118

 almost wholly white or white and grey. The whitish-coloured thighs may therefore be taken to be a constant feature.

The following is a specific description of an adult male of the new species:—

The whole of the plumage (except as hereafter otherwise distinguished) black with a bluish-black sheen; a circular-shaped white patch begins almost at the crown, encompasses the back and sides of neck, and encroaches on the upper mantle; rump, upper tail coverts, and greater part of the upper surface of the tail feathers snow white; vent and greater part of under surface of tail feathers white, the former having a reddish-chocolate tinge; upper half and inner sides of the thighs white, the feathers of the lower half of the outer sides being white with dark brown margins, or brown with white margins, the former predominating; shoulder-patches conspicuously white, and under wing coverts and under tail coverts also white; mandibles deep slaty-blue with blackish points and highly polished; iris hazel; legs and feet black. Depth of terminal black tail-band, 1¼ inches; culmen, 2.5; blackish points of same, .9 inch; total length from base of skull to tip of tail 12.25 inches, and from base of skull to point of mandibles (over all) 4.25 inches; diameter of circular neck-patch, 2.25 inches; tail, 5.5 inches; tarsus, 2 inches.

Habitat.—Ashburton River, North-Western Australia.

Type.—In Western Australian Museum, Perth.

In the field notes on the attached labels the birds are described as having been found on open plains and as being rare.

The plumage of the above male shows indications of a moult in progress.

An almost matured male bird from the Cane River (shot three weeks later than the above, and consequently in better plumage, although not possessing the matured garb of the former) has the neck-patch for the lower half clouded with uniformly bluish-grey. The blue of the basal portion of the bill also is not so intense, and shows less polish. Above and contiguous with the white vent in the centre of the abdomen is a narrow, deep chocolate-brown tract. The upper portions of the thighs are intense white, as also the inner sides, the outer sides being blackish-brown, but in transition to white. In a young female from the Ashburton River the whole of the abdomen is whitish, slightly clouded with bluish-grey on the upper portion only; thighs almost white.

I have assigned to the new species the scientific name of Gymnorhina longirostris and the vernacular one of the Long-billed Magpie, but am aware that in the latter respect I am appropriating the vernacular name given by Mr. A. J. Campbell to his Gymnorhina dorsalis. However, as such vernacular name is not the transited equivalent of his specific name (dorsalis), and as the vernacular "Long-billed" is the leading characteristic of the new species, I will ask Mr. Campbell to waive his prior right, and, if I may suggest, substitute the vernacular name of the "Varied-back Magpie," which I venture to think will better indicate one