The _Pachycephala melanura_ is a native of the northern coasts of Australia, where it was procured by B. Bynoe, Esq., during the surveying voyage of H.M.S. the Beagle. It may be readily distinguished from the _P. gutturalis_ and _P. glaucura_ by the jet-black colouring of the tail, which organ is also shorter and more square than that of any other species, by its much longer bill, and by the colouring of the back of the neck and the under surface being richer than that of either of those above-named. I have not yet seen a female of this fine species, wanting which I have figured two males in different positions. It may be thus described:— Head, crescent commencing behind the eye and crossing the chest and the tail black; throat pure white; collar round the back and sides of the neck, and all the under surface very rich gamboge-yellow; upper surface rich yellowish olive; wings black, the coverts margined with yellowish olive; the primaries narrowly and the secondaries broadly margined with yellowish grey; bill and feet black; irides brown. The figures are of the natural size. [Illustration: PACHYCEPHALA PECTORALIS: (_Vig. & Horsf._) _Drawn from Nature & on Stone by J. & E. Gould._ _Printed by C. Hullmandel._ ] PACHYCEPHALA PECTORALIS, _Vig. and Horsf._ Banded Thick-head. _Muscicapa pectoralis_, Lath. Ind. Orn. Suppl., p. li.—Vieill. 2nde Edit, du Nouv. Dict. d’Hist. Nat., tom. xxi. p. 455, and Ency. Méth., 2nde Part., p. 830. _Orange-breasted Thrush_, Lewin, Birds of New Holland, pl. 8. _Pachycephala pectoralis_, Vig. and Horsf. in Linn. Trans., vol. xv. p. 239.—Gould, Syn. Birds of Australia, Part III. —— _striata_, Vig. and Horsf. in Linn. Trans., vol. xv. p. 240, female or young male? _Lanius macularius_, Quoy et Gaim., Voy. de l’Astrolabe, p. 257. pl. 31. f. 1, young male? _Rufous-vented Honey-eater_, Lath. Gen. Hist., vol. iv. p. 183. This very common species ranges over the whole of the southern portion of the Australian continent, from Swan River on the west to Moreton Bay on the east; but the extent of its range northwards has not yet been strictly determined. During the spring and the earlier months of summer there are few birds that possess a more animated and lively song, which, moreover, is very different from any bird I recollect having heard, either in Australia or Europe, being a loud continuous ringing whistle, frequently terminating in a sharp smack, this latter note being peculiar to most members of the group. In New South Wales and South Australia it is abundantly dispersed over all the thinly-timbered forests, keeping among the leafy branches of the highest trees. I do not myself recollect having met with it in the brushes, while in Western Australia the thick scrubs are said to be its favourite places of resort.