Part 11

=243 Allied Flycatcher= (Lesser Brown), _M. assimilis_, N.A., V. (acc), W.A. Insects.

Stat. c. _open_, _forest_ 4.6

Like 242, but smaller; outer tail feathers brown at base.

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11 17

=244* Scarlet-breasted Robin=, _Petroica leggei_, S.Q., N.S.W., V., S.A., W.A., T.

Mig. c. (winter) _open_, (summer) _forest gullies_ 5.2

Head, throat, upper black; cap white; white bands on wing; breast scarlet; lower-abdomen dull-white; outer-tail white; bill, feet black; f.,* upper, under brown; breast tinged red; white marks on wing. Insects.

[Page 123]

=245* Flame-breasted Robin=, _P. phoenicea_, S.Q., N.S.W., V., S.A., T., Bass St. Is.

Mig. c. (winter) _open_, (summer) _mt.-gullies_ 5.3

Crown, upper sooty-gray; small white forehead; white on wing; outer-tail white; chin sooty-gray; under scarlet; under base tail white; f.,* under brown; outer-tail white; under reddish-gray. Insects.

=246 Pink-breasted Robin=, _P. rhodinogaster_, V., S.A., T., Bass St. Is.

Stat. v.r. _deep forest_, _gullies_ 5.2

Head, neck, back sooty-black; white spot on forehead; breast, abdomen rose-pink; under base tail white; f., upper brown; buff marks on wing; under gray; under base tail white. Insects. "Tick-tick-tick;" like snapping dead twig.

=247 Rose-breasted Robin=, _P. rosea_, E.A. Insects.

Stat. r. _dense brushes_, _gullies_ 4.5

Crown, throat, upper dark slate-gray; narrow white forehead; chest rich rose-red; under base tail white; outer-tail white; f., forehead buff; upper grayish-brown.

=248* Red-capped Robin=, Redhead (e), _P. goodenovii_, S.Q., N.S.W., V., S.A., C.A., W.A.

Nom. r. _open inland scrubs_ 4.7

Crown, breast scarlet; upper, neck black; white stripe on wing; abdomen, under tail white; f.,* dark-brown upper; forehead tinged reddish; throat, breast faintly tinged red. Insects.

=249 Hooded Robin= (Black and White, Black, Pied), _P. bicolor_, S.Q., N.S.W., V., S.A., W.A., N.W.A.

Stat. r. _open_, _forest_ 6.5

Head, upper, throat black; patch on wing, abdomen, under base tail, outer-tail white; f., brownish-gray instead of black. Insects.

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2 2

=250 Short-billed Tree-Tit= (Sombre), Scrub-Tit, _Smicrornis brevirostris_, E.A., S.A., W.A.

Stat. c. _treetops_ 3.5

Crown brownish-gray; back olive; behind eye reddish-brown; throat, chest whitish; abdomen citron-yellow; tail brown at base, banded blackish, spotted white at tip; short bill brown; f., sim. Insects. Clear whistle.

16 62

=251* White-throated Flyeater=, Native Canary (e), Bush-Warbler, _Gerygone albigularis_, N.A., E.A., N.W.A. Insects. Musician.

Mig. c. _tree-tops_ 4.3

Upper ashy-brown; throat, face white; chest, abdomen greenish-yellow; tail blackish band, white tip; f., sim.

=252 Southern Flyeater= (Western), White-tailed Bush-Warbler, _G. (Pseudogerygone) culicivora_, E.A., S.A., C.A., W.A. f. sim. Insects.

v.r. _forests_, _scrubs_ 4.2

Upper olive-brown; throat, chest light-gray; abdomen white; tail white base; black band, tip spotted white.

=253 Brown Flyeater=, Brown Bush-Warbler, _G. fusca_, E.A.

Stat. c. _forest_, _scrubs_ 3.8

Back, sides reddish-brown; forehead, eyebrow, throat, chest gray; tail black band, tip spotted white; f., sim. Insects. Feeble "What is it? What is it?"

10 99

=254* White-shafted Fantail= (-Flycatcher, -Flysnapper), Cranky Fan, Devil-Bird, Land-Wagtail (e), _Rhipidura albiscapa_, E.A., S.A.

Stat. c. _open forest_ 6

Upper, band across chest sooty-black; under buff; stripe over eye, mark behind eye, throat, bars on wing, shafts of tail feathers (except 2 centre feathers) white; outer-tail, tip white; f., sim. Insects. Musical song.

=255* Rufous Fantail= (-Flycatcher), _R. rufifrons_, E.A.

Part.-Mig. (winter) _open_, (summer) _gullies_, _brushes_ 6.2

Crown, hind-neck brown; forehead, lower-back, base tail rust-red; throat, centre-abdomen white; chest black; flanks, under base tail light fawn; f., smaller. Insects.

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=256* Black and White Fantail= (-Flycatcher), Shepherd's Companion, Willie Wagtail, Wagtail (e), Frog (Morning) Bird, _R. motacilloides (tricolor)_, Mol., N.G., A. "Sweet pretty little creature."

Stat. v.c. _open forest_ 7.5

Upper, throat, breast black; eyebrow, rest under white; long fan-tail; f., sim. Insects. Often sings at night.

4 29

=257 Leaden Flycatcher= (-Flysnapper), Frog-Bird, _Myiagra rubecula_, N.G., A., T.

Mig. r. _coast scrubs_, _gullies_ 6.5

Upper, wings, tail, breast leaden-gray glossed with green; abdomen, under base tail white; f., throat, breast rust-red. Insects. Squeaking note.

=258 Satin Flycatcher= (Shining), Satin Sparrow (e), _M. nitida_, Louisiade Is., E.A., S.A., T.

Mig. r. _gullies_ 6.5

Upper, breast blackish metallic-green; abdomen, under base tail white; f., upper duller; throat, breast rust-red. Insects. Loud piping whistle.

2 2

=259* Restless Flycatcher=, Scissors Grinder, Grinder, Willie Wagtail (e), Dishwasher (e), Who-are-you? _Seisura inquieta_, A.

Stat. c. _open_, _scrub_ 8

Upper shining black; under white; like 256 but throat white; hovers; f., throat, breast buff. Insects. Harsh grinding, "Tu-whee, tu-whee."

2 8

=260 Black-faced Flycatcher= (Carinated), _Monarcha melanopsis_, Timor, N.G., N. Ter., E.A.

Stat. r. _brushes_ 6.7

Forehead, face, throat black; upper gray; wings, tail brown; chest gray; abdomen rufous; f., sim. Insects. Loud whistle, "Why-yew, witch-yew."

====

Order XXI. (continued)

More than half the species of birds making up the family of Caterpillar-eaters are restricted to the Australian region.

The common Black-faced Cuckoo-Shrike has many names. Leatherhead, Blue Pigeon, and Blue Jay are amongst the most common, and all are wrong. The Leatherhead is a Honey-eater, and is better known as the Friar-Bird. The Cuckoo-Shrike is not a Pigeon, but is a perching bird; nor is it a Jay, which is a Northern Hemisphere bird, a member of the Crow family.

The Black-faced Cuckoo-Shrike is partly migratory, being stationary in the northern parts of its range, but migratory in the south. It occasionally reaches New Zealand. These birds undergo many changes of plumage before assuming the adult dress. The Little Cuckoo-Shrike, in particular, has several plumage phases, the throat and neck being black in the young, but gray in the adult. Its Cuckoo-like flight undoubtedly suggested part of the name. When young males are unlike the adult males, they usually resemble the female. Here, however, the adults of both sexes are similar.

The male White-shouldered Caterpillar-eater resembles a Hooded Robin (249). It is supposed to be shy, but at the Tallangatta excursion, two pairs were attending to domestic duties in the school ground and surprised all by their fine musical performances. The male called "Peter, Peter," or some syllabize it "Pretty Joey," and then broke into a trilling song that fully equalled any canary performance I have heard. This was repeated frequently during the day. The female seemed to have a creak in her note, which, however, was musical. The bill is slender in this species.

The Jardine Caterpillar-eater is rare and very shy. It keeps to the topmost branches of lofty trees. The male is dark blue-gray and black, and has a strong bill. The brown female is quite dissimilar, her whitish under surface being crossed with numerous brown arrow-head markings.

The Cuckoo-Shrikes and Caterpillar-eaters are, like the Cuckoos, very fond of caterpillars, and so should receive all the protection we can give them.

(continued below)

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[Page 126]

F. 120. CAMPOPHAGIDAE (10), CUCKOO-SHRIKES, Caterpillar-eaters, 186 sp.--104(103)A., 63(61)O., 2(1)P., 19(19)E.

1 1

=261 Ground Cuckoo-Shrike=, Ground Graucalus, Ground (Long-tailed) Jay (e), _Pteropodocys phasianella_, Q., N.S.W., V., C.A., W.A. (interior).

Stat. v.r. _plains_ 13

Head, neck, chest, back delicate-gray; abdomen, rump white, many narrow black bars; under base tail white; wings, tail black; side tail tipped white; f., sim. Insects, larvae. Shrill note.

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5 34

=262* Black-faced Cuckoo-Shrike=, Leatherhead (e), Cherry-Hawk (e), Lapwing (e), Summer (Blue) Bird, Blue (Gray) Jay (e), Blue (Mountain) Pigeon (e), Australian Shrike (N.Z.), _Coracina robusta (Graucalus melanops)_, Cel., Mol., N.G., A., N.Z. (acc.).

Part.-Mig. v.c. _plains_, _timber_ 13

Delicate gray; forehead, face, throat black; wing-quills black edged gray; tail gray base, black centre, tip white; lifts wings after settling; f., sim. Caterpillars, insects, fruit. Purring note.

=263 Little Cuckoo-Shrike=, Varied Graucalus, Lesser Blue-Jay (e), _C. mentalis_, E.A.

Stat. r. _forest_ 10.5

Upper dark slate-gray; wing-quills black; tail black tipped white; about eye black; throat, breast gray (adult), under wing, under base tail white; young many changes of color; head, neck black; f., sim. Caterpillars, insects, berries. Soft rolling note.

1 35

=264 Jardine Caterpillar-eater= (-Campophaga), _Edolisoma tenuirostre_, N. Ter., E.A.

Stat. r. _treetops_ 10.6

Face black: upper, under, centre-tail deep blue-gray; wing-quills, outer-tail black; f., smaller; upper, wings, tail feathers brown, edged lighter; under creamy-buff with many blackish bars; line over eye buff. Insect larvae. "Kree-kree."

2 25

=265* White-shouldered Caterpillar-eater= (-Campophaga), Peewee-Lark (e), _Lalage tricolor_, N.G., A., T.

Mig. c. _thick timber_ 6.5

Crown, hind-neck, upper-back black; shoulders, line on wing white; rest wing black; lower-back gray; tail black outer tipped white; under white; somewhat like 248 but throat white; f.,* upper brown; wing marked light lines; under whitish. Insects. Fine musician, canary-like song.

F. 121. _Pycnonotidae_, Bulbuls, 257 sp.--7(6)A., 148(145)O., 6(4)P., 99(99)E.

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Order XXI. (continued)

The family _Timeliidae_ is an ill-defined one, the members of which are mostly ground birds, or, at least, spend a good deal of time on the ground.

The Spotted and Chestnut-backed Ground-Birds are rare and are very quiet and shy as they run back under the shade of a bush. Thus, they are seldom seen, though they are very beautiful in their richly-spotted plumage. Driving along mallee roads, one sometimes sees these birds make a short, quick run to cover. A good name is required for them. Ground-Bird is not very definite.

The rich brown Pilot Bird rarely flies, but keeps low down in the dense tangles and undergrowths in country like that about Ferntree Gully. It must be patiently waited for, as it is very shy. It, apparently, values its services highly, for it often calls "A-guinea-a-week."

The larger Scrub-Robin which lives only in the interior flies little, but, as shown in the figure, it has long legs, suitable for running. Its color is not the dark-brown suitable for dark scrubs, but is the light-brown which matches the dead mallee twigs lying so thickly on the ground under the scrub. We met the Scrub-Robin on Eyre Peninsula, but it was difficult to get a second look at it. Almost as rare are the closely-similar Chestnut-rumped and Red-rumped Ground-Wrens. Few will see these birds, as they live only in the drier parts.

That interesting bird--the Coachwhip Bird--is far more often heard than seen. Along the densely-scrubbed creeks of Eastern Australia, the interesting whip-crack of this bird is very often heard. An exact representative lives in West Australian scrubs. I was surprised to hear, in several places lately, the Rufous-breasted Whistler (Thickhead) called the Coachwhip Bird. It has been found that both birds take part in the peculiar call which has a loud crack very like that of a whip. This bird dwells in the dense eastern scrubs, and uses its short wings but little for flight. It was seen, however, recently at Sandringham, a few miles from Melbourne.

The Australian Babblers are of interest from all points of view. Their habits are peculiar; their calls are varied and usually pleasant, and their large domed stick nests are common objects along a country road. Usually seen in companies of from four to a dozen, these birds work energetically and systematically. They are entirely insectivorous, and so are of great value economically. They are tame, as I have watched a flock at work in the gardens in the middle of a town such as Dunolly. They occasionally visit orchards and attack the codlin moth pupae. They are said never to squabble, and so are called "Happy Family" or "Happy Jacks." Their names, however, are many. The commonest is, perhaps, "Catbird." There is a "Catbird," a Bower-Bird, in Queensland, so the use of that name should be discouraged. Babblers sometimes make six or seven nests, laying only in one. The others are said to be shelter nests, or possibly play nests.

That pleasing songster--the White-browed Field-Wren--is uniformly streaked with black both above and below. It is fairly common, but is not often seen unless looked for. Dogs will follow the scent of this bird, as they do that of a quail; so it is sometimes called the Stink-Bird by sportsmen.

Now we come to two of the four native Skylarks. Who has not, while lying on his back on the grass enjoying a rest in the warm sunshine, felt pleasure at the beautiful song of the Rufous Song-Lark as it soars singing away so high overhead? The British Skylark often receives the credit for the harmony of our four Skylarks. Two belong to this family, and two come later with the Larks and Pipits. One is larger and darker on the breast, hence the name Black-breasted Song-Lark. I saw many of these birds, when examining the glacial deposits at Hallet's Cove, near Adelaide. As there was a continuous chorus of these fine songsters above the crops, the reason for the name Harvest Birds was apparent.

The Thrush family (_Turdidae_) includes the British Song-Thrush, Blackbird, Nightingale, and many other famous songsters, The Australian Mountain-Thrush is larger and more prettily marked, but is not such a good songster as its European cousin--the Song-Thrush. It, however, has one of its calls closely similar to one of the calls of its more famous relative. It is a quiet, shy bird, though I walked within five feet of one this morning as it was busy digging up worms on the lawn in the Melbourne Botanic Gardens. I left it at work pleased that my presence had caused no feeling of fear in so beautiful and so shy a bird. Its beautiful moss-covered nest is built even so early as July. It flies little, preferring to keep near the dark scrubs, especially the tea-tree scrub along the coast.

The Song-Thrush and Blackbird have been successfully introduced, and they are common in suburban gardens. Their delightful song makes richer the lives of busy city dwellers, though their attentions to soft fruits are not always appreciated. For sweetness and fulness of notes, however, these introduced birds cannot compare with our Harmonious Shrike-Thrush (315), deservedly named _harmonica_ by Latham, a British ornithologist. The call of the latter bird, however, is not so continuous as that of the introduced birds.

The four Australian birds known as Chats take the next sub-family to themselves. The common Chat is known as a "Tang," "Nun," and "Tin-tac." While the White-fronted Chat is very common in the South, the beautiful Crimson-breasted Chat, with its crimson cap and pure white throat, and the Orange-fronted Chat, are found mostly in the dry interior, where they are known as Salt-bush Canaries. A good common name is urgently required for this Australian sub-family of birds. North calls them Nuns; but that name is preoccupied, and is suitable only for one of them. I was much interested last week (January, 1911) to see a male White-fronted Chat feeding a fully-fledged young Bronze Cuckoo. Two female Sparrows were also in attendance, one of which fed the Cuckoo three times while I was observing it. A female Bronze Cuckoo sat for some time by the young one, but did not interfere, or offer to feed it. The Chat returned the fifth time for the purpose of feeding the young Cuckoo, when the passing of a motor-car broke up the party. The young Cuckoo flew across the road and some distance on to a bush, where it resumed its constant wheezing whine. It is unusual to find birds so far apart as a Finch, like the Sparrow and a member of the Thrush family, like the Chat, feeding the one young Cuckoo.

(continued below)

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[Page 128]

F. 122. TIMELIIDAE (27), BABBLERS, BABBLING-THRUSHES, 590 sp.--65(65)A., 447(443)O., 7(3)P., 75(75)E. (an ill-defined family).

6 6

=266* Spotted Ground-Bird= (-Thrush, -Dove), Babbling-Thrush, _Cinclosoma punctatum_, S.Q., N.S.W., V., S.A., T.

Stat. r. _scrubby_ 10.7

Crown, back rufous-brown; back striped black; shoulders steel-black spotted white; throat, narrow chest band steel-black; eyebrow, patches on throat white; breast gray; tail tipped white; f., upper lighter; throat white, rufous patch at side. Insects. Rise with a whirr-r-r. Low piping whistle.

[Page 129]

=267 Chestnut-backed Ground-Bird= (-Thrush), _C. castano-notum_, W.N.S.W., W.V., S.A., W.A., N.W.A.

Stat. r. _plains_ 9

Upper chestnut-brown; eyebrow, side-throat white; throat, chest black; shoulder black spotted white; tail tipped white; f., duller; throat, chest gray. Insects.

1 1

=268 Pilot Bird=, _Pycnoptilus floccosus_, E.N.S.W., E.V.

Stat. v.r. _dense scrubby gullies_ 6.7

Rich dark-brown; throat rufous mottled dusky; f., sim. Insects. "Guinea-a-week."

3 5

=269 Scrub-Robin=, _Drymodes brunneipygius_, N.S.W., V., S.A. (interior).

Stat. v.r. _mallee_, _scrub_ 8

Upper brown; wings brown barred white; tail brown, slightly tipped white; under grayish-brown; long legs; shy, runs; f., smaller. Insects. Monotonous whistle.

2 2

=270 Chestnut-rumped Ground-Wren=, Red-rumped Scrub-Warbler, _Hylacola pyrrhopygia_, N.S.W., V., S.A.

Stat. v.r. _dry scrubs_ 5.3

Upper brown; base tail chestnut-red, tip white; eyebrow white; under streaked black, white; f., sim. Agreeable song.

=271 Shy Ground-Wren= (Red-rumped, Cautious, Rufous-rumped), Shy Scrub-Warbler, _H. cauta_, V., S.A., W.A.

Stat. v.r. _dry scrubs_ 5.7

Like 270, but small white patch near outer edge of wing; shier; f., sim. Insects.

3 3

=272* Coachwhip Bird= (Whip, Stockwhip), _Psophodes crepitans_, E.S.Q., E.N.S.W., E.V.

Stat. c. _dense scrubs_ 10

Dark olive-green; black crest, breast; white side of throat, centre of abdomen, tip-tail; f., smaller, duller. Insects. Loud full note ends in a whip crack.

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=273* Gray-crowned Babbler=, Chatterer (e), Cackler, Barker, Pine (Cat (e), Dog) Bird, Codlin-Moth-eater, Hopper, Jumper (e), Yahoo, Happy Family, Happy Jack, Twelve Apostles (e), Apostle-Bird (e), _Pomatorhinus frivolus (temporalis)_, E.A., S.A.

Stat. flocks, c. _open timber_ 11

Dark brown; crown light-gray; brow white; throat, breast white; tail tipped white; bill long black, curved; runs; f., sim. Insects. Many peculiar notes, noisy.

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=274 White-browed Babbler=, Go-aways, Stick-Birds, _P. superciliosus_, A. inland (exc. N. Ter., N.Q.).

Stat. flocks, c. _open timber_ 8

Like 273, but smaller; crown dark-brown; f., sim. Insects. "Most noisy bird I ever observed." (G.) Many notes.

=275 Chestnut-crowned Babbler=, _P. ruficeps_, N.S.W., V., S.A. (interior). Insects. Noisy.

Stat. c. _timber_ 8.5

Like 273, 274, but crown, hind-neck chestnut; f., sim.

7 7

=276* White-browed Field-Wren=, White-lored Reed-Lark, Rush Warbler (e), Stink-Bird, _Calamanthus albiloris_, N.S.W., V., S.A.

Stat. c. _grass_, _heath_ 5

Greenish-brown streaked black; face, brow white; throat whitish streaked black; erect tail; shy; f., sim. Insects. Pretty song on bush-top.

=277 Field-Wren=, Field Reed-Lark, _C. campestris_, V., S.A., N.W.A.

Stat. v.r. _open plains_ 4.6

Upper ashy-brown streaked dark-brown; upper base tail rufous-brown; side tail tipped white, banded black; forehead rufous streaked dark-brown; eyebrow white; under whitish streaked dark-brown; f., sim. Insects.

2 2

=278* Brown Song-Lark= (Black-breasted), Australian Skylark, Harvest-Bird, Singing-Lark, Corn-Crake (e), _Cincloramphus cruralis_, A. exc. C.A.

Mig. c. _crops_ 9

Dark-brown, upper feathers edged lighter; abdomen blackish; f., much smaller; paler; eyebrow, under whitish. Insects. "Fine songster, ranks with the Skylark;" sings flying like Skylark.

=279* Rufous Song-Lark= (Rufous-tinted), Rufous-rumped Singing-Lark, Skylark, _C. rufescens_, A.

Mig. c. _grass_, _crops_ 7.5

Upper brown, feathers edged lighter; upper base tail rufous; brow, throat whitish; under brownish-gray; side face darker; f., smaller; face not dark. Insects. "Amongst the richest and sweetest of Australian bird songs." Sings flying like Skylark.

[Page 132]

F. 123. _Troglodytidae_, Wrens, 255 sp.--2(1)A., 18(17)O., 10(10)P., 43(32)Nc., 194(183)Nl.

F. 124. _Cinclidae_, Dippers, Water-Ouzels, 19 sp.--5(2)O., 11(8)P., 1(0)Nc., 6(5)Nl.

F. 125. _Mimidae_, Mocking-Birds, Thrashers, 71 sp.--17(10)Nc., 61(54)Nl.

F. 126. TURDIDAE (8), THRUSHES (Blackbird (Br.), Nightingale, Robin (Br.), Wheatear, Bluebird (Am.), Redstart, Hedge-Sparrow), 588 sp.--48(44)A., 167(117)O., 124(53)P., 192(163)E., 29(14)Nc., 132(118)Nl.

1 114

=279^A Blackbird=, _Turdus merula_, Eur., N. Afr., Egypt, Syria, Persia, Azores, A. (introduced).

Stat. c. _timber_ 10

Black; bill yellow; f., dark-brown; breast reddish-brown marked darker. Insects, snails, fruit. Songster.

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4 13

=280* Australian Mountain Thrush= (Ground), King Thrush, _Turdus (Oreocichla) lunulata_, N.S.W., V., S.A.

Stat. c. _coastal scrubs_, _mt. gullies_ 10.5

Upper brown marked with black half-moons; under white stained buff on breast, flanks, marked with black half-moons; f., sim. Snails, insects, worms.

1 24

=280^A Song Thrush=, _T. musicus_, Eur., W. Asia, India, A. (introduced).

Stat. c. _gardens_ 9

Upper brown; breast yellowish spotted brown; throat, abdomen white; f., sim. Snails, insects, worms. Famous singer.

5 5

=281* White-fronted Chat=, Banded Tintac, Tang, Ringlet (e), Clipper, Nun, Dottrel (e), Jenny-Wren (e), Ballyhead, Gar, Ringneck (e), _Epthianura albifrons_, Bass St. Is., T., A. exc. N. Ter. Insects. Dull metallic "tang."

Mig. v.c. _grass_ 4.5

Forehead, face, under, tip tail white; back gray; band on chest, wings, tail black; f.,* duller, faint band on chest.

=282* Crimson-breasted Chat= (Tricolored), Saltbush Canary (e), _E. tricolor_, A. exc. N. Ter.

Mig. r. _timber_ 4.3

Crown, base tail, breast, abdomen scarlet; face, back of head, back dark-brown; tip-tail spotted white; throat, under base tail white; f., duller. Insects.

=283 Orange-fronted Chat=, Saltbush Canary, _E. aurifrons_, A. exc. N. Ter.

Nom. r. _open plains_ 4.3