The Plate represents the male and female of the natural size. The very pretty plant was gathered in the brushes of Illawarra, where the birds are tolerably numerous.
SERICORNIS LÆVIGASTER: Gould.
J. Gould and H. C. Richter del et lith. Hullmandel & Walton Imp.
SERICORNIS LÆVIGASTER, Gould.
Buff-breasted Sericornis.
Sericornis lævigaster, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., January 27, 1847.
This species, although nearly allied to the S. maculata, is distinguished by the entire absence of spots on the throat and chest, and by having the tail-feathers largely tipped with white.
The male and female in my collection, and which are represented on the accompanying Plate, are part of the results of Dr. Leichardt’s overland expedition from Moreton Bay to Port Essington, they having been killed by Mr. Gilbert on the 30th of November 1844; but no information whatever is to be found respecting them in his Journal.
All the upper surface brown; tail deepening into black near the extremity and tipped with white; spurious wing-feathers dark brown, margined with white on their inner webs; lores and mark under the eye brownish black; above the eye an indistinct line of white; all the under surface washed with yellowish buff; irides greenish white.
The female presents the usual differences, being somewhat smaller in size and wanting the black mark on the lores.
The figures are of the natural size.