ORIOLUS FLAVOCINCTUS.
Crescent-marked Oriole.
Mimetes flavo-cinctus, King, Survey of Intertropical Coasts of Australia, vol. ii. p. 419.—Steph. Cont. of Shaw’s Gen. Zool., vol. xiv. p. 351.
Mimeta flavo-cincta, Vig. and Horsf. in Linn. Trans., vol. xv. p. 327.
This species was discovered on the north coast of Australia by Captain Philip Parker King, R.N., who described it in his “Survey of the Intertropical Coasts of Australia,” referred to above; Mr. Gilbert procured two specimens at Port Essington, and Lieut. Ince, R.N., subsequently obtained an additional example in the same locality. All the information that has reached me respecting its habits and economy is contained in a short note sent to me by Mr. Gilbert, which merely states that his specimens were obtained in the forests of mangroves bordering the coast.
Like the O. viridis it is in every respect a true Oriole, although neither of them are so gaily attired as the other members of the genus.
The male has the head, neck and all the upper surface dull greenish yellow, with a stripe of black, broad at the base and tapering to a point, down the centre of each feather; under surface greenish yellow, passing into pure yellow on the under tail-coverts; wings black, all the feathers margined externally with greenish yellow and broadly tipped with pale yellow; tail black, washed on the margins with greenish yellow and largely tipped, except the two middle feathers, with bright yellow, which increases in extent as the feathers recede from the centre; irides reddish orange; bill dull red; feet lead-colour.
The female differs in being of smaller size, in having the under surface striated with black, and the markings of the wings straw-white instead of yellow.
The Plate represents the two sexes of the size of life.