Chapter V: Part 5

At the Summer School, a Fantail spent some time each day in the dining-tent. The beautiful Rufous Fantail is just as tame, but is not quite so common. The nests of the White-shafted and Rufous Fantails are things of beauty. The long wine-glass stem is said by some to serve to drain the water away down from the nest, or as a means of carrying the eye down from the nest itself, so that it is seldom seen, or as a balance, so that the nest is not tilted too far in windy weather.

The Scissors Grinder, or Restless Flycatcher, is very much like a Black and White Fantail, but the throat is white, while that of the Fantail is black. The Grinder is often mentioned in popular books on bird-life, on account of its peculiar scissors-grinding note uttered while hovering in search of insects.

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[Page 113]

ORDER XXI.--PASSERIFORMES, PERCHING BIRDS.

F. 105. _Pteroptochidae_, Tapaculos, Tilt-birds, 31 sp. Nl.

F. 106. _Conophagidae_, Antwrens, 16 sp. Nl.

F. 107. _Formicariidae_, Ant-thrushes, 348 sp. Nl.

F. 108. _Dendrocolaptidae_, Wood-hewers, Spinetails, 405 sp.
Nl.

F. 109. _Tyrannidae_, Tyrant-birds, American Flycatchers,
Kingbird, Phoebe, 560 sp.--41(9)Nc., 551(519)Nl.

F. 110. _Oxyrhamphidae_, 3 sp. Nl.

F. 111. _Pipridae_, Mannikins, 84 sp. Nl.

F. 112. _Cotingidae_, Cotingas, Chatterers, 145 sp.--1(0)Nc.,
145(144)Nl.

F. 113. _Phytotomidae_, Plant-cutters, 4 sp. Nl.

F. 114. PITTIDAE (4), ANT-THRUSHES, 63 sp.--32(32)A.,
30(30)O., 1(1)E.

F. 115. _Philepittidae_, Wattled Ant-thrushes, 2 sp. E.
(Madagascar).

F. 116. _Xenicidae_, New Zealand Wrens, 4 sp. A. (N.Z.).

F. 117. ATRICHORNITHIDAE (2), SCRUB-BIRDS, 2 sp. A.(N.S.W., W.A.).

[Page 116]

[254] [255] [256] [259] [262] [265] [265^A] [266]]

=251= White-throated Flyeater
=254= White-shafted Fantail
=255= Rufous Fantail
=256= Black and White Fantail
=259= Restless Flycatcher
=262= Black-faced Cuckoo-Shrike
=265= White-shouldered Caterpillar-eater
=265^A= White-shouldered Caterpillar-eater (F.)
=266= Spotted Ground-Bird

[Page 118]

[273] [276] [278] [279] [280] [281] [281^A] [282]]

=272= Coachwhip Bird
=273= Gray-crowned Babbler
=276= White browed Field-Wren
=278= Brown Song Lark
=279= Rufous Song Lark
=280= Mountain Thrush
=281= White-fronted Chat
=281^A= White-fronted Chat (Female)
=282= Crimson-breasted Chat

[Page 120]

[239] [240] [241] [242] [243]]

F. 118. HIRUNDINIDAE (6), SWALLOWS, MARTINS, 116 sp.--9(6)A.,
25(7)O., 16(2)P., 54(50)E., 10(1)Nc., 34(27)Nl.

3 40

=238* Welcome Swallow= (House), _Chelidon (Hirundo) neoxena_,
A., T. =vt. Eur. House Swallow.

Mig. c. _houses_ 6.6

Breast, throat, forehead rust-red; abdomen whitish; head,
back, rump black; tail forked, a band of whitish spots; f.,
duller. Flying insects.

[Page 121]

1 1

=239 White-backed Swallow= (Black and White, White-breasted,
White-capped), _Cheramoeca leucosternum_, A., exc. N. Ter.
=vt. Eur. Sand-Martin.

Stat. r. _inland_ 5.8

Back, throat, chest white; wings, tail, rump, abdomen black;
no rust-red; f., sim. Insects.

2 10

=240* Tree Martin=, Tree Swallow, _Petrochelidon nigricans_,
Mol., N.G., A., T., Bass St. Is., N.Z. =vt. Eur. Tree Swallow.

Mig. flocks, v.c. _timber_ 5.1

Head, back black; under, rump whitish-gray; indistinct whitish
collar; rust-red forehead; f., sim. Flying insects.

=241 Fairy Martin=, Bottle (Land, Cliff, Retort) Swallow, _P.
ariel_, E.A., S.A., T. (occ).

Mig. c. _cliffs_, _banks_ 4.7

Head rust-red; black back; rump, under white; tail slightly
forked; f., sim. Insects.

F. 119. MUSCICAPIDAE (71), FLYCATCHERS, 690 sp.--354(346)A.,
164(148)O., 14(1)P., 155(151)E., 5(2)Nc., 20(17)Nl.

4 11

=242* Australian Brown Flycatcher=, Jacky Winter, Postboy,
Post-sitter, White-tail, Stump-Bird, Spinks, Peter-Peter,
_Microeca fascinans_, E.A., S.A.

Stat. c. _open_, _forest_ 5.2

Upper pale-brown; side tail white; under lighter; chin,
abdomen white; swings tail sideways; f., sim. Insects.
Songster.

=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.

[Page 122]

[245] [246] [247] [248] [249]]

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.

[Page 124]

[251] [252] [253] [254]]

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.

[Page 125]

[256] [257] [258] [259] [260]]

=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."

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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.

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[Page 126]

[262] [263] [264] [265] [265^A]]

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.

[Page 127]

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.

====

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.

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[Page 128]

[267] [268] [269] [270] [271] [272]]

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.

[Page 130]

[274] [275] [276] [277] [278] [279]]

4 34

=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.

[Page 131]

=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]

[280] [280^A] [281] [282] [283]]

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.

[Page 133]

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

Head, upper base tail, under golden-orange; back brown; tip
tail spotted white; chin black; f., duller. Grasshoppers,
other insects.

====

Order XXI. (continued)

The Warbler family, _Sylviidae_, is a large one, found all through the Eastern Hemisphere. One migratory species crosses Behring Strait each year to summer in Alaska.

As no less than 79 Australian small birds have been grouped in this family, it is of considerable importance to our bird lovers. At the head of the family, we have an exact representative of the Reed-Warbler of Europe in the delightful plain-brown songster which charms all who frequent river sides. Its song is "louder and more melodious than that of any of its European relations except" the Reed-Warbler. It is a welcome spring visitor, and can be heard on any spring or summer day in the Botanic Gardens, or in any reed bed by stream or lake.

The next bird is the Australian representative of the Fantail-Warblers (_Cisticola_). These birds are related to the Tailor-Bird.

Much has been written of the Tailor-Bird of India which so cleverly sews leaves together to enclose its nest, but few know we have a bird that does similar work when building its nest. Dr. Sharpe has decided that our bird is identical with an Indian species, so we must take the Indian name--Golden-headed Fantail-Warbler. This bird moults twice a year. At the autumn moult, it obtains a long tail and a streaked crown. The four Australian species described by Gould are now known to be but different forms of the one species which undergoes seasonal change.

Speckled Jack, the Speckled Warbler (Little Field-Wren), is a tame little bird with a pleasing song. Its chocolate-colored egg used to be much valued in the days when schoolboys collected eggs. It walks instead of hopping.

The Yellow-tailed Tit-Warbler (_Acanthiza_) is a member of an Australian genus, which has been split up into 27 species, all of which, except a New Guinea form, are restricted to Australia. Some are pleasing songsters. The two-storied nest of the Yellow-tail is well known and is peculiar. What is the use of the upper nest--for the male to rest in, to delude the cuckoo, or what?

These birds are not Tits (_Paridae_). They have been called Thornbills by Mr. A. J. North. The name Tit-Warbler has been adopted by the "names" sub-committee of the Royal Australasian Ornithologists' Union, pending the completion of the Australian Check-List. The common White-browed Scrub-Wren is not a Wren, but is a Warbler. He is the best known of the genus, though even he is seldom seen. His dark-brown color leads one to suspect a dark scrub as his dwelling place. Though common in places, he is seldom noticed, but if you sit down in a quiet scrubby corner, his inquisitiveness will often impel him to run almost over your feet. Some light spots on the shoulder and the white eyebrow will assist you in identifying him. His mouse-like run further assists in identification.

Amongst the glories of the bird world, the Superb-Warbler stands high. His beautiful enamel-blue and black costume, and his cheery, fussy song justify his name. He is generally accompanied by four or five plain-colored mates, and is said to lose his beautiful coat of blue each autumn, but the balance of evidence now seems to be with Mr. Keartland and Dr. Horne, who claim that he gets the permanent beautiful coat late in life (that is, when three or four years old), and does not lose it afterwards, except for a few days at moulting time. But, being so conspicuous, he soon falls a prey to one of his numerous enemies, of whom the small boy with a pea-rifle is probably the worst. I, too frequently, hear of these enemies of their country being caught with three or four of these lovely little birds in their possession. However, Bird Day in the schools did much good, and the next generation of boy will probably have less of the savage in him.

The Emu-Wren, which has tail feathers like Emu feathers, is easily recognized if seen. It is difficult to cause it to fly out of the rushes round a swamp. The Bristle-Birds are Australian, and are fairly common in some dense scrubs.

Grass-Wrens are not Wrens, but are placed in the Warbler family. They are Central Australian birds. They seldom fly, but "progress like a rubber ball" with great swiftness. They are of the light tawny color that so well matches desert sands. It is very difficult to get a second look at one, as it hides in the grass and scrub, and almost refuses to be flushed. Sometimes it nearly allows itself to be walked upon.

Fourteen of the 17 members of the Wood-Swallow family are confined to the Australian region. The White-rumped Wood-Swallow extends from Australia through the islands to the Andaman Islands; another kind is found in India, Ceylon, and Burma. Some kinds are migratory. They appear suddenly in great companies, build a flimsy, careless nest in any spot high or low, and soon have the young on the wing. They are the "Blue-Birds," "Summer-Birds," or "Martins" of our youth. Some of these birds have the remarkable habit of hanging in a cluster similar to a great swarm of bees. Like Honey-eaters, they take honey from the flowering eucalypts. The street trees of Bendigo were alive with these birds in May, 1909. The Sordid Wood-Swallow is partly migratory, and lives in small companies. Most towns in Southern Australia have a company of these birds in the neighborhood. One such company lives in the Domain, near the entrance to the Botanic Gardens, Melbourne.

These tame woodland birds, admirable in their graceful wheeling and floating flight, destroy numbers of destructive insects. Occasionally, a company has discovered that a good food supply can easily be obtained close to a beehive. Thus rarely they do a slight amount of harm, but the balance is overwhelmingly in their favor.

(continued below)

====

F. 127. SYLVIIDAE (79), WARBLERS (Whitethroat, Blackcap
(Br.), Chiffchaff), 525 sp.--107(102)A., 137(84)O., 108(22)P.,
267(228)E., 1(0)Nc.

[Page 135]

[285] [286] [287] [288] [289] [291] [293] [297]]

=284= Australian Reed-Warbler
=285= Australian Fantail-Warbler
=286= Grass-Bird
=287= Speckled Warbler
=288= Little Tit-Warbler
=289= Brown Tit-Warbler
=291= Striated Tit-Warbler
=293= Yellow-tailed Tit-Warbler
=297= White-browed Scrub-Wren

[Page 137]

[300^A] [302] [304] [306] [311] [312] [313] [315]]

=300= Superb-Warbler
=300^A= Superb-Warbler (Female)
=302= White-winged Superb-Warbler
=304= Emu Wren
=306= Bristle Bird
=311= White-browed Wood-Swallow
=312= Masked Wood-Swallow
=313= Wood-Swallow
=315= Gray Shrike-Thrush

[Page 139]

[320] [321] [322] [322^A] [323] [323^A] [326] [327]]

=319= Australian Butcher-Bird
=320= Yellow-breasted Shrike-Tit
=321= Crested Bell-Bird
=322= Golden-breasted Whistler
=322^A= Golden-breasted Whistler (Female)
=323= Rufous-breasted Whistler
=323^A= Rufous-breasted Whistler (F.)
=326= Shrike-Robin
=327= Whiteface

[Page 142]

[285] [286] [287] [288] [289]]

2 29

=284* Australian Reed-Warbler=, Reed-Bird, (Nightingale),
Water-Sparrow (e), _Acrocephalus australis_, Lombok, E.A.,
S.A., T. =vt. Eur. Reed-Warbler.

Mig. c. _reeds_ 6.2

Brown; head darker; under lighter; throat whitish; bill long,
pointed; f., sim. Insects. Rich melodious song.

1 51

=285* Golden-headed Fantail-Warbler=, Grass-Warbler (Exiled),
Corn (Barley) Bird, _Cisticola exilis_, Ind., Formosa to A.
(exc. C.A.), King Is.

Stat. r. _grass_, _crops_ 3.6

Golden-buff; upper streaked blackish; tail 1.2in., blackish,
edged buff; f., crown streaked black. Winter* crown streaked
black; throat whitish; tail 1.9in.; f., sim.

3 10

=286* Grass-Bird= (Little Reed), Marsh-Warbler, _Megalurus
gramineus_, N.S.W., V., S.A., T.

Stat. v.r. _tussocks_ 5.2

Upper brown streaked, lined blackish; throat, chest gray
faintly streaked black; tail reddish-brown; f., sim. Insects.
"Four or five plaintive notes."

1 1

=287* Speckled Warbler=, Little Field-Lark (-Wren), Speckled
Jack, Blood Tit (e), Jenny-Wren (e), _Chthonicola sagittata_,
E.A., S.A.

Stat. r. _grass_ 5

Under whitish boldly streaked black; head brown faintly
streaked white; back brown, feathers edged lighter; tip-tail
spotted white; f., sim. Insects. Singer.

26 27

=288* Little Tit-Warbler= (Yellow), Yellow-breasted Thornbill,
Tomtit, Little Tit, _Acanthiza nana_, S.Q., N.S.W., V., S.A.

Stat. c. _trees_ 3.5

Upper dull olive-green; under yellow; tail grayish-brown,
black band; f., sim. Insects. "Tiz, tiz, tiz."

=289* Brown Tit-Warbler= (Tit), Scrub Thornbill, Dwarf
Warbler, _A. pusilla_, E.A., S.A.

Stat. c. _scrub_ 3.7

Upper, wings brown; tail brown, banded black, slightly tipped
white; throat, chest spotted black and white; flanks, abdomen
buff; f., sim. Insects. Singer.

[Page 143]

[291] [292] [293] [294] [295]]

=290 Red-rumped Tit-Warbler= (Tit), Rufous-rumped Thornbill,
_A. pyrrhopygia_, N.S.W., V., S.A. (interior).

Stat. v.r. _mallee_, _scrubs_ 4

Upper pale olive-brown; forehead blackish-brown, feathers
tipped white; throat, chest mottled gray, white; abdomen
whitish; upper base tail rufous; tail olive, black band, white
tip; f., sim. Insects.

=291* Striated Tit-Warbler=, Striped Tit, Striped-crowned
Thornbill, _A. lineata_, E.A., S.A.

Stat. c. _timber_ 3.7

Throat, chest whitish streaked black; head brown streaked
whitish; back olive-brown; flanks, abdomen yellowish; tail
black band; f., sim. Insects. Songster.

=292 Chestnut-rumped Tit-Warbler= (Thornbill), _A.
uropygialis_, A. exc. C.A., N. Ter.

Stat. r. _scrubs_, _forests_ 3.6

Upper brown; upper base tail rich reddish-chestnut; tail
brownish-black tipped white; under whitish; f., sim.

=293* Yellow-tailed Tit-Warbler=, Yellow-rumped Thornbill
(-Tit), Yellow-tail, Geobasileus, _A. chrysorrhoa_, E.A.,
S.A., W.A., T.

Stat. v.c. _gardens_, _timber_ 3.8

Upper olive-brown; base tail bright-yellow; under
yellowish-white; forehead black spotted white; cheeks, throat,
line over eye grayish-white; f., sim. Insects. Singer.

=294 Buff-tailed Tit-Warbler=, Buff-rumped Thornbill (Tit),
_A. reguloides_, E.A., S.A.

Stat. c. _open timber_ 4.3

Upper olive-brown; upper base tail pale yellow; throat, chest
white slightly marked brown; forehead feathers tipped lighter;
f., sim. Insects. Song.

10 16

=295 Redthroat=, Red-throated Scrub-Wren, _Sericornis
brunnea_, N.S.W., V., S., C., W.A.

Stat. v.r. _scrubs_ 4.5

Upper dark-brown; tail brownish-black tipped white; throat
rufous; under brownish-gray; f., sim. Insects. "Fine song
equal to that of any small bird."

[Page 144]

[297] [298] [299] [300] [301]]

=296 Yellow-throated Scrub-Wren=, Devil Bird, _S. barbata_,
E.Q., E.N.S.W., E.V.

Stat. r. _coastal scrubs_ 5.5

Crown, upper brown tinged yellow; side of face, round eye,
ear black; white line over eye; throat yellow; chest, flanks
olive-brown; centre abdomen white; f., smaller; duller.
Insects. Pleasing rich note.

=297* White-browed Scrub-Wren= (White-fronted), _S.
frontalis_, E.A., S.A., Kent Group.

Stat. c. _undergrowth_ 4.5

Upper dark-brown; throat white streaked dusky; brow white;
chest, abdomen light-yellow; flanks olive-brown; small
distinct white marks on shoulder; f., duller, throat not
streaked. Insects. Inward warble.

=298 Large-billed Scrub-Wren=, _S. magnirostris_, E.A.

Stat. v.r. _tree-tops_, _coast_, _gully scrubs_ 4.7

Brown; rump rufous; about bill tawny; eye, long bill black;
legs flesh-color; f., sim. Insects.

=299 Spotted Scrub-Wren= (Striated), _S. maculata_, V., S.A.,
Kangaroo Is., W.A.

Stat. v.r. _scrubby_ 4.5

Upper brown; tail black band tipped white; forehead, side of
face black; stripe above, very small patch below eye, marks
on edge of wing white; under grayish-white, sometimes washed
yellow; throat, chest grayish-white spotted (striated) black;
f., duller. Insects.

23 23

=300* Superb-Warbler=, Blue-Wren (-Bonnet, -Tit, -Cap, -Head),
Mormon-Wren, Cocktail, _Malurus cyanochlamys_, E.A., S.A.,
Kangaroo Is.

Stat. v.c. _gardens_ 5

Crown, behind ear, upper-back enamel-blue; throat, chest,
hind-neck, lower-back black; tail deep-blue; f.,* brown; round
eye reddish-brown; under lighter; bill reddish-brown. Insects.
"Animated song." "Lovely bird."

=301 Black-backed Superb-Warbler= (Wren), _M. melanonotus_,
E.A., C.S.A. (inland).

Stat. r. _scrubs_ 4.7

Crown, under, upper-back, upper and under base tail beautiful
metallic blue; behind ear verditer-blue; side of face, band
on back, faint band across chest black; wing green; tail
greenish-blue; f., side of face, round eye reddish-brown;
upper brown; under whitish; wings brown; tail green. Insects.

[Page 145]

[303] [304] [305] [306] [307]]

=302* White-winged Superb-Warbler= (Wren), _M. cyanotus
(leucopterus)_, A. (exc. N. Ter.).

r. _saltbush_, _plains_ 4.8

Above, below deep cobalt-blue; wings white; quills brown; tail
dark-blue; f., upper brown, under white tinged brown. Insects.

=303 Purple-backed Superb Warbler= (Wren), _M. assimilis_, A.

Stat. v.r. _scrubs_ 5

Crown, side of head, back purplish-blue; throat, chest, band
on upper back, rump black; chestnut-red patch inner wing; rest
wing brown; abdomen white; tail dark-blue tipped white;
f., brown; about eye rich chestnut; under whitish; tail
greenish-blue. Insects.

4 4

=304* Emu-Wren=, Stick-tail, _Stipiturus malachurus_, S.A.,
E.A., W.A., f., throat brown. Insects.

Stat. c. _tussocks_ 7

Upper brown streaked rufous; tail feathers long loosely
webbed, erect; throat blue; abdomen brown; runs.

=305 Mallee Emu-Wren=, _S. mallee_, N.W.V.

Stat. v.r. _Spinifex (Triodia)_ 5

Like 304, but forehead chestnut; throat, chest light
purplish-blue; abdomen grayish-brown.

4 4

=306* Bristle-Bird=, _Sphenura brachyptera_, N.S.W., E.V.,
Insects. Rich, varied notes.

Stat. v.r. _undergrowth_ 8.8

Brown; throat, centre-breast lighter; shy; runs; f., sim.

=307 Rufous Bristle-Bird= (Rufous-headed), _S. broadbenti_,
W.V., S.A. (Otway Ranges to Mt. Lofty).

Stat. v.r. _dense scrub_ 10.5

Rufous-brown; f., sim. Insects.

[Page 146]

[309] [310] [311] [312] [313]]

10 10

=308 Grass-Wren=, _Amytornis textilis_, V., C.A., W.A.

Stat. v.r. _plains_, _dense scrubs_ 6.2

Upper dark-brown striped white; under paler; flanks rust-red;
seldom flies; progresses like a rubber ball; tail erect; f.,
sim. Insects.

=309 Striated Grass-Wren= (Black-cheeked), _A. striatus_,
N.S.W., V., C.A., W.A.

Stat. v.r. _dense scrubs_ 6.8

Like 308, but black stripe on cheek; plumage strongly rufous;
runs, seldom flies; f., sim. Insects.

[Page 147]

F. 128. _Vireonidae_, Vireos, Greenlets, 112 sp.--24(7)Nc.,
105(88)Nl.

F. 129. _Ampelidae_, Waxwings, Cedar-Bird, 10 sp.--1(0)O.,
2(0)P., 3(0)Nc., 7(5)Nl.

F. 130. ARTAMIDAE (12), WOOD-SWALLOWS, Swallow-Shrikes, 17
sp.--15(14)A., 2(1)O., 1(1)E.

9 16

=310 White-rumped Wood-Swallow= (Swallow-Shrike), _Artamus
leucogaster_, Andaman Is., Mal. Arch., Papuan Is., A.

Mig. r. _timber_ 7.4

Head, neck grayish-black; back brown; tail, wing-quills black;
rump, breast, abdomen white; f., sim. Insects. Plaintive note.

=311* White-browed Wood-Swallow=, Summer-Bird, Martin (e), _A.
superciliosus_, E.A., S.A., N.W.A.

Mig. v.c. _timber_ 8

Slaty-gray; white eyebrow; abdomen rich chestnut; tail tipped
white; f., faint white eyebrow. Insects, honey. "Sweet, clear
whistling note."

=312* Masked Wood-Swallow=, Bush (Blue) Martin (e), _A.
personatus_, S.Q., N.S.W., V., S.A., W.A., N.W.A.

Mig. c. _timber_ 8

Dark-gray upper; pure white edge to jet-black throat patch;
under gray; tail tipped white; f., duller. Insects.

=313* Wood-Swallow= (Sordid, Dusky), Jacky-Martin, Martin (e),
_A. tenebrosus_, A., T., Bass St. Is.

Part-Mig. v.c. _timber_ 7.3

Smoky vinous-gray; wing-quills black; white line in edge of
wing; tail tipped white; bill blue tipped black; f., sim.
Insects.

F. 131. _Vangidae_, 12 sp. E. (Madagascar).

====

Order XXI. (continued)

Family 132--Wood-Shrikes--contains two of the best known of Australian birds, for they are to be found about almost every town and city, as well as in the country. The well-known Magpie-Lark has but one close cousin in the world, a New Guinea bird. Its mud nest is familiar to country boys. It is notable that, excepting Swallows, only two other Australian birds build a mud nest. These birds, the Apostle-Bird and the White-winged Chough, are mentioned later. Its dainty, well-kept plumage renders the Magpie-Lark one of the most graceful of birds. Its flight is "unlike that of any bird known to me." (Gould.) "It flies in a straight line, with a heavy, flapping motion of the wings." Its loud call is responsible for the name of Pee-wee, a common name for a European Plover; its black and white coloring for the vernacular name--Magpie-Lark.

This bird is of great value, as it consumes large quantities of pond snails, the necessary host of the early stages of the liver fluke. Exterminate the pond snails, and immediately the liver fluke is completely destroyed, and all future loss from its ravages is saved to the pastoralists. In 1846, fluke caused a loss of L10,000,000 in England alone, so it is a serious pest, and may yet prove a very expensive one to Australia.

This bird's scientific position is disputed. It has been classed with Crows and with Thrushes. Gould placed it by itself. Dr. Sharpe has, however, placed it in the family _Prionopidae_. Its vocal organs are anomalous, and it may be that its position is not finally settled yet.

Placed by Sharpe in the same family are the Shrike-Thrushes, strictly Australian birds. The glorious "powerful swelling notes" of our common bird caused Latham to bestow the well-deserved name _harmonica_ on it. Yet there are some who talk of Australia as a land of songless birds. This falsehood seems to have had its origin in a note written by Caley, who, about 1825, collected near Sydney, for the Linnean Society of London. As quoted by North, he said, "They (Superb-Warblers) are good songsters, and, I may say, almost the only ones in the colony." Fortunately, the Harmonious Shrike-Thrush is becoming common and tame about school grounds and most towns. It is occasionally to be heard in the Melbourne Botanic Gardens.

Family 134 contains the famous Shrikes, those birds which are said to keep a butcher's shop. Not being "birds of prey," they do not hold their prey in their feet, so they fasten it in the fork of a tree, or on a thorn. Then they proceed to eat it, or leave it until they are hungry. Our Shrike or Butcher-Bird has the same habit.

The Australian Butcher-Bird has a rich, mellow, flute-like note, which is more frequently heard in autumn. Some consider his one of the best of bird-notes. His strongly-hooked bill renders him a terror to small birds, including caged Canaries.

That glorious songster, the Australian Magpie, is placed in this family. These Australian songsters are now divided into five closely-similar species, all possessing the same rich carol. The Tasmanian bird was formerly called the "Organ-Bird." This Australian musician is responsible for the European epigram of "white Crows that sing." These birds are not Crows, nor are they white, but they _sing_, so that Alfred Russel Wallace has declared that no European songbird can equal them. Gould found it impossible to describe their "carol," and regretted that "his readers could not," as he had done, "listen to the birds in their native wilds." Their early morning carol lives in the memory. The Australian Magpie is not related to the European Magpie, which is a member of the Crow family (164), but is a glorified Butcher-Bird. However, it would be a difficult matter to displace the name magpie for the Australian bird.

In the same family, though in the next sub-family, are some peculiar Australian birds. The two Shrike-Tits are found one in Eastern Australia and the other in Western Australia. Gould said feelingly--he was nipped by one--that "no bird of its size has stronger mandibles." It is to be seen in the Melbourne Botanic Gardens, tearing off bark as it seeks for insects.

The Crested Bell-Bird is restricted to Australia. Being a perfect ventriloquist, it is very difficult to locate it. Some of its notes are bell-like, and have misled those seeking horses. I met it frequently in the Mallee and in the Maryborough and Ararat districts. It often hopped out on to the road on frosty mornings. It is one of Australia's singular and interesting birds.

Those badly-named, but often attractive, songsters--the Thickheads (now called Whistlers)--are placed next. Eighty-eight of these birds are known from the Australian region, though but twenty occur in Australia itself and Tasmania. On account of the difficulty of skinning these birds, they were given the name _Pachycephala_. It is unfortunate that the literal translation--thick head--was the name used by bird people for these beautiful singers. It is now proposed to change the name to Whistler. Strange to say, we have not heard a good local name for these attractive and often gorgeous birds.

To complete this interesting sub-family, we have the Yellow-breasted Shrike-Robin--a confiding favorite, found in most dark scrubs. Its single, often-repeated, piping note is responsible for its name, _Eopsaltria_, "Psalm of the Dawn." This delightful forest-dweller frequently perches sideways on a sapling. Six kinds are known from Australia, and two more from adjacent islands.

(continued below)

====

[Page 148]

[314^A] [315] [316] [317] [318] [319]]

F. 132. PRIONOPIDAE (11), WOOD-SHRIKES, 95 sp.--55(55)A.,
15(15)O., 25(25)E.

1 2

=314 Magpie-Lark=, Murray (Little) Magpie (e), Mudlark (e),
Soldiers, Peewee (e), Peewit (e), Pugwall, _Grallina picata_,
A., T. (acc).

Stat. v.c. (near water) _open_, _timber_ 10.5

Black and white; slender stilt-like legs; throat white (f.),
black (m.); mud nest. Insects, pond-snails. "Pee-wee."

[Page 149]

10 10

=315* Gray Shrike-Thrush= (Harmonious), Gray (Native) Thrush,
Pluff, Mourner, _Colluricincla harmonica_, E.A., S.A.

Stat. c. _timber_ 9.5

Gray; back umber-brown; face whitish; under lighter: f.,
throat streaked dusky. Insects. Powerful swelling harmonious
note.

F. 133. _Aerocharidae_, 1 sp. E. (Madagascar).

F. 134. LANIIDAE (42), SHRIKES, 313 sp.--134(132)A., 36(22)O.,
33(10)P., 140(127)E., 6(6)Nc., 1(1)Nl.

5 5

=316 Black-backed Magpie=, Piping Crow-Shrike (Varied), Organ
(Flute) Bird, Singing White Crow (e), _Gymnorhina tibicen_,
E.A., S.A., W.A.

Stat, v.c. _open_ 17

Black; hind-neck, upper under base tail, patch on wing white;
f., grayish instead of white. Insects. "To describe the
note of this bird is beyond the power of my pen." (Gould.)
"Wonderfully modulated whistle ... unequalled among European
birds." (Alfred Russel Wallace).

=317 White-backed Magpie= (Crow-Shrike), _G. leuconota_,
N.S.W., V., S.A., C.A., W.A.

Stat. v.c. _open_ 18

Upper white, except head, tip-tail, wing-quills black; under
black; f., back gray. Insects. Glorious carol, see 316.

8 11

=318 Black-throated Butcher-Bird= (Crow-Shrike), _Cracticus
nigrigularis_, A. exc. N. Ter.

Stat. v.r. _timber_ 13.5

Head, neck, chest black; hind-neck, centre-wing, rump, under
white; tail black, side tipped white; f., sim. Insects, mice.
One of the best of songsters, rich notes.

=319* Australian Butcher-Bird= (Shrike), Collared Crow-Shrike,
Derwent (Tasmanian, Whistling) Jackass, Durbaner, _C.
destructor_, E.A., S.A., W.A.

Stat. v.c. _timber_ 11.2

Head, neck black; back gray; side hind-neck, upper base tail,
patch on wing white; under grayish-white; f., duller. Insects,
mice, birds. Fine song (autumn); rich notes.

[Page 150]

[321] [322] [323] [324]]

3 3

=320* Yellow-breasted Shrike-Tit= (Yellow-bellied, Frontal,
Crested), Falcon-Shrike, _Falcunculus frontatus_, E.A., S.A.

Stat. r. _timber_ 7.5

Upper green; crest, throat, line through eye black; patch
above eye, patch below eye white; under bright-yellow; strong
hooked bill; f., throat green. Insects. Musical notes.

1 1

=321* Crested Bell-Bird=, _Oreoica cristata_, A.

Stat. c. _timber_ 9

Upper brown; top of head black, side-head gray; white on face,
throat; black from eye to black chest band; abdomen white
tinged sandy-buff; f., duller. Caterpillars, insects. Bell
notes, ventriloquist.

20 88

=322* Golden-breasted Whistler=, White-throated Thickhead,
Thunder-Bird, Cutthroat, Coachwhip-Bird (e), _Pachycephala
pectoralis (gutturalis_), E.A.

Stat. c. _timber_ 7

Throat white; black head, band on chest; outside black band,
under golden-yellow; back olive green; f.,* brown; throat
whitish faintly streaked dusky. Caterpillars, insects. Fine
songster, many melodious calls; whip-like smack ends one of
notes.

=323* Rufous-breasted Whistler= (Thickhead), Little Thrush,
Ring Coachman, Coachwhip-Bird (e), _P. rufiventris_, E.A.,
S.A., C.A., W.A.

Stat. c. _timber_ 6.7

Upper gray; throat white; head blackish; black side of neck,
band on chest; rest under light rufous-brown; f.,* upper
brownish-gray; throat white streaked blackish-brown; rest
under buff; breast, sides streaked blackish-brown. Insects,
caterpillars, wild berries. Famous songster; whip-like smack
at end of one of its calls.

=324 Red-throated Whistler=, Gilbert Thickhead, _P. gilberti_,
N.S.W., V., S.A., W.A.

Stat. v.r. _timber_ 7.2

Dark-gray; black before eye; throat dull rust-red; under gray;
f., no black on face; throat gray. Insects. Clear whistling
note.

[Page 152]

[326] [327] [328] [329]]

=325 Olive Whistler=, Olivaceous Thickhead, _P. olivacea_,
N.S.W., V., T., Bass St. Is.

Stat. r. _humid scrubs_ 8

Olive brown; head dark-gray; throat whitish marked brown;
faint gray band across chest; under reddish-brown; f., no band
on chest. Insects. "Liquid, whistling note."

6 8

=326* Yellow-breasted Shrike-Robin=, Yellow Robin (e), Wild
Canary (e), _Eopsaltria australis_. N.S.W., V.

Stat. c. _timber_ 5.3

Dark-gray; upper base tail olive-yellow; throat grayish-white;
under bright yellow. Tame, perches on side of sapling; f.,
sim. Insects. Piping note often repeated.

====

Order XXI. (continued)

In Family 135--Titmice or Tits--Australia has but five representatives--the peculiar Wedgebill, "Kitty-lin-tof," and the four Australian "Whitefaces." The Whiteface is "lively, with sweet chirping notes." Its former scientific name (_Xerophila_) means "dry lover," for it is found mainly in the drier parts.

The European Tits belong to this family, so it is not desirable to use the name "Tit" for the Australian birds of the genus _Acanthiza_, for they belong to the Warbler family (_Sylviidae_), and not to the Tit family (_Paridae_).

The Nuthatches of the Old World and America are represented by closely-related birds, with somewhat similar habits, in Australia. These run spirally down a tree-trunk, searching every crack or piece of bark. Eight of these birds occur in Australia. Latham called them Nuthatches. It is now proposed to return to this name, as it is used for the British, Indian, and North American birds of this family (_Sittidae_).

The male Black-capped Nuthatch (Tree-runner) is true to name, but the female has the head and hind-neck black, instead of a black cap only. Nuthatches are not found in Tasmania. Possibly Bass Strait was formed before they reached Southern Victoria. Thus bird-study supports the geographer and ethnologist when they declare that Bass Strait is of comparatively remote formation. As the Tasmanian blacks were ignorant of boats, they evidently reached Tasmania before Bass Strait was formed. They are a more primitive type than the Australian blacks, who were improved by later influxes of more highly-developed Caucasians.

Many country dwellers will not admit that there is no Woodpecker in Australia, but it is a fact, nevertheless. Our so-called "Woodpecker" is the Tree-Creeper. It never chisels mortice-holes in a tree to get out a grub, as the true Woodpecker does. These birds occur all over the continent, and are often to be seen alighting on the side of a tree or fence post and then running up spirally to the top. They soon fly off to another tree, alighting lower than the place they started from. The bright-brown band on the wing is conspicuous as they fly. Their lively notes brighten a country drive.

The White-eye is one of a large genus, for no less than 157 species have been accepted by Dr. Sharpe. However, one of the rarest of these was a Victorian species. It was based on one specimen, a female, taken at Marong, near Bendigo. It was said to be slightly different from the common White-eye. Hence Dr. Horne, of Clifton Hill, one of our most enthusiastic bird-lovers, created a new species, and named it in honor of his niece, Miss Bowie, who is a favorite with all the birds in Dr. Horne's extensive aviaries. White-eyes are found from Africa and Madagascar to India and Japan, and from Australia out past New Zealand.

Our common White-eye is one of the interesting birds of the world at the present time, for it is showing that man is not the only animal with a colonizing instinct. It was unknown in New Zealand until, in 1856, it was first recorded. The Maoris, keen Nature-students, who have a name for every native animal and plant, called it the "Stranger." Its presence has been accounted for by some authorities as being due to the fierce winds that accompanied Black Thursday having blown it over from Australia. However, not satisfied with spreading throughout New Zealand until it is said to be the commonest bird there, it has spread out to Chatham Island, and a flock was reported recently a considerable distance from the coast, apparently looking for fresh fields, or rather islands, to colonize. It is a well-known city dweller. Though it destroys grapes and other soft fruits, it also so completely destroys aphides that it is appropriately called the Blight-Bird. Again, the balance is strongly in its favor, for it is probably but taking fair toll of that which will probably not have reached maturity but for its labors, and the laborer, even if a bird, is worthy of his hire.

A bird's color usually affords it protection from its natural enemies. These are mainly birds of prey flying overhead. Thus, speaking generally, protective coloration applies only to the upper surface, so that a white throat or under surface does not necessarily render a bird conspicuous to its natural enemies.

Again, a bird may be very conspicuous when seen away from its natural surroundings, but the concealment may be perfect under natural conditions. It has been already mentioned that the gorgeous Blue Mountain Lorikeet was very difficult to discern in its native sugar-gums. A tiger is said to be invisible at a distance of ten yards in a jungle; the black stripes being similar to the shadows of the bamboos, and the light bands to the sunlight between the vegetation.

The White-eye and Tree-Creepers just noticed may be considered protectively colored, for they are difficult to see in a tree. Still, the brown patch on the wing of the Tree-Creeper is conspicuous as it flies. Alfred Russel Wallace, the great evolutionist, supplied a good explanation, when he regarded bright wing bands, white rump, and white-tipped tail, as "warning colors." An enemy is, perchance, perceived by a bird. This individual flies away quietly; others see the bright wing patch disappear, and they seek shelter as quickly and quietly as possible. This is often a great advantage, for, in many cases, all reach safety, possibly, before the enemy has seen one of them. If the first bird had given an alarming call, it would have warned the enemy too.

It is noteworthy that these bright markings on the upper surface are, usually, not visible when the bird is at rest. The white wing patch folds in, the white rump is covered, while, in a white-tipped tail, it is usual for the two centre feathers to be plain throughout (see illustrations of species 313 and 329). The tail is folded, and the white tips are covered by the two non-white centre feathers. The introduced Indian Turtle-Dove, common about nearly every city in Australia, shows the spread-out, white-tipped tail splendidly when flying. The bird itself is barely visible if it settles in the shade or on the soil. The Indian Myna, a city bird, has both white wing-patch and white-tipped tail.

This explanation is also applied to other wild animals; thus many Deer have the white patch on the hind quarters. Other Deer, seeing this warning signal displayed in flight, immediately make for safety. Similarly, Wallace has explained the white tail of a Rabbit.