CLIMACTERIS MELANURA, Gould.
Black-tailed Tree-Creeper.
Climacteris melanura, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Part X. p. 138.
Hitherto I had believed that all the members of this genus were confined to the southern portions of Australia, but that such is not the case is proved by the circumstance of Mr. Bynoe having killed the bird here represented on the northern coast. It exceeds all the other species in size and also differs from them in its colouring, particularly in the lanceolate feathers on the throat and in the black colour of the tail. Nothing whatever is known of its habits or general economy, but judging from its structure, it doubtless closely assimilates to its congeners in all these particulars. The specimen I possess, and from which my figure is taken, is, I believe, the only one that has yet been sent to Europe.
Forehead, all the upper surface and the tail-feathers velvety brownish black; the occiput and back of the neck stained with ferruginous brown; primaries and secondaries dark brown at the base and at the tip, the intermediate space buff, forming a conspicuous band across the wing when expanded; feathers of the throat white, edged all round with black, giving the throat a striated appearance; abdomen and flanks ferruginous brown; under tail-coverts black, irregularly crossed with bars of buff; bill and feet blackish brown.
The figures represent the bird in different positions of the natural size.