vamsay.

SCENOPCEUS DENT] ROSTRIS, 7

Toothed-billed Bower-bird.

Scenopeus dentirostris, Ramsay RO ZSs 11875 0) | _— ;
1p i Y; Z 875, P- 991.—Id. Proe. Linn. Soc. New South Wales. ij p. 188 (1878)
c , ae OK co a .

ee

Onxy the naturalist who has devoted his life to the pursuit of a particular study, and has spent lon

a y; as s g years

S on the various interesting subje

as complete as lies in his power, can imagine the feelinos of s
o ¢ Oh es

on the Birds of Australia. The time which [

in the determination to render his writing ts | i

. eis 1e has so long been treating
atisfaction with which I conte
spent in working out the birds of that country is one of the
n ae e : = . x
th t in the pursuit of natural history; and I cannot but congratulate
myself on the fact that the additions to the avifauna of th '

| | at content have not been ve
I published my last volume on its ornithology. At the same time it would be y

ary new forms as that which
continue to be discovered, constituting, as it does, the type, not only of
genus. No one who looks for one moment

mplate my work

most pleasing recollections of a life spe

ry numerous since
7 ae ain to suppose that the
field is exhausted, when such extraordin is figured on the opposite Plate
a new species, but of an entirely new
at the extraordinary doubly toothed bill of the present bird
can doubt the propriety of Mr. Ramsay’s instituting a separate genus

Nothing is at present known of the habits of this ;
observes that, like the Catbirds, it clears a |

for so anomalous a bird.

species, or if it really builds a bower; but Mr. Ramsay
arge space under the brushwood some nine or ten feet in
diameter, and ornaments the cleared parts with tufts of gaily tinted leaves and young shoots. The only
specimens yet procured were shot with a rifle by Inspector Johnstone of Cardwell; and the habitat is given
as the Bellenden-Ker range and the dense brushes clothing the steep sides of “ Sea-view range,” on
the north-east coast of Queensland.

The following is the description by Mr. Ramsay :—

‘«The whole of the upper surface, wings, and tail rich olive-brown, the inner webs of the primaries and
secondaries blackish brown, their margins near the base buffy white; under surface of the shoulders yellowish
buff, with remains of broken bars of blackish brown on the smaller feathers ; the under wing-coverts
yellowish buff, with cross bars of dull brown ; under primary-coverts buff, crossed more distinctly with dull
brown; under surface of primaries and secondaries dark ashy brown, the basal half of the inner margin buff
tinged with a faint wash of light rufous; flanks olive-buff; abdomen buff; under tail-coverts olive-buff, each
feather barred with two or more lanceolate marks of dull olive-brown, under surface of the tail dull brown ;
throat, neck below, chest, and the rest of the under surface buffy white, each feather margined with olive-
brown, which becomes lighter and less distinct on the lower parts, and almost obsolete on the flanks and
abdomen ; on the throat and chest the margins are almost black, and tinged with yellowish olive on the
sides of the neck and chest, and the buff central portion of a deeper tint; the under surface has the
appearance of being broadly streaked with lanceolate marks of buff, which become more and more indistinct
as they approach the under tail-coverts, becoming obsolete on the aniiouen. - oe

“Total length 11 inches; wing 5:7; tail 4; tibia 2°2; tarsus 1:2; hind toe 0°6, its claw De its wideh
0:25; inner toe 0-65, its claw 0°33; middle toe 0:9, its claw 0°35 ; outer toe 0-7, its claw 0:3 ; midth oI
the sole of the foot 0°35 ; bill from gape 1-2, from forehead 1:1, from the nostril 0°6, height at nostril 0-6,
width at nostril 0-5, culmen 1-1; upper mandible black, lighter at the tip; lower mandible blackish brown ;
gape yellow; legs and feet black, claws brown.” ee tie Cee

It is now five years since I received information of the discovery of this bird from Mr. oe f
Honorary Curator of the Museum at Brisbane, with a promise that he would get ne a of the an
and forward the same to me for the purpose of figuring in the ‘Birds ot New Guinea. ee nS : ly

: I 08 -s of his nearly sudden decease, a source of the
after the receipt of Mr. Coxen’s letter, I read the sad news o \ | the nleasnne of iGHinentnn
deepest regret both to myself as a relative, and all persons ee ne oe eae ee - a
Besides the skin, the head of a second example was forwarded, which greatly ac

subject. We now anxiously await more examples.

 

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