CLIMACTERIS MELANOTUS, Gould.
Black-backed Tree-creeper.
Climacteris melanotus, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Part XIV. p. 106.
For this additional species of the limited genus Climacteris, a form confined to Australia, we are indebted to Dr. Leichardt’s Expedition from Moreton Bay to Port Essington. It was killed in latitude 15° 57′ south, on the eastern side of the Gulf of Carpentaria, and is rendered particularly interesting to me as being one of the birds procured by poor Gilbert on the day of his lamented death, the 28th of June 1845, which untoward event prevented him from recording any particulars respecting it: all therefore that I can do, is to point out the differences by which it may be distinguished from the other members of the genus, and recommend to future observers the investigation of its habits.
In the dark colouring and thick velvety plumage of the upper surface it is most nearly allied to the Climacteris melanura, but differs from that species in being destitute of the lanceolate marks on the throat, and from all others in the dark colouring of the back.
The usual distinction of the sexes—the finer colouring of the female—exists in this as in the other species of the genus; they may be thus described:—
Superciliary line and throat buffy white; line before and behind the eye, all the upper surface, wings and tail dark brownish black; the base of the primaries, secondaries and tertiaries, and the under surface of the shoulder buff; under surface pale vinous brown; the feathers of the abdomen with two stripes of black running parallel to and near the stem, the space between dull white; at the base of the throat several irregular spots of black; under tail-coverts buffy white, crossed by broad bars of black; irides brown.
The female differs in having the markings of the abdomen larger and more conspicuous, and in having the spots at the base of the throat chestnut instead of black.
The Plate represents the two sexes of the natural size.