Striated Acan th i 5 a. IE 3 Hj-A. T HE members of this peculiarly Australian genus inhabit the Southern portion where they are found in swampy places or in a secluded part of the forest, where there is a great deal of scrub. Their nests, like those of the Acanthizm, are. In disposition it is very shy and timid, and when disturbed, creeps underneath any kind of.
It is always seen on the ground,. The difference in the plumage of the sexes is very slight, but the female is smaller. All the upper surface, wings, and tail, dark olive-brown ; spurious wing-feathers, black, margined with white; lores, black ; a line above the eye, greyish-white ; throat and chest, yellowish-white,. It is only seen in the most secluded places, generally remaining on the ground, or on small trees and bushes. When disturbed, it runs among the underbrush, and is out of sight very quickly.
The nest is nearly always placed in a bunch of moss, hanging, as is very common in those parts, from one of the branches of a tree. The nest itself is formed of strips of bark, various grasses, and moss, and is lined warmly with feathers. The eggs are three in number, and are one inch long by eight lines broad. Their colour is brown, with spots of a darker colour irregularly distributed over the surface. Lores and ear-coverts, black; a line of yellowish-white above the eye ; crown of the head and back, dark brown ; wings and tail, reddish-brown ; throat, chest, and abdomen, yellow ; Hanks, greyish-brown ; irides, yellow; bill, black ; legs and feet, brown.
On account of the localities chosen by it deep creeks and dense thickets being most frequented it is very little known, and specimens are comparatively rare. Like the European Wren, it hops along the ground, and among stones and fallen logs, where it obtains the insects on which it feeds. During the breeding season the male continually utters a cheerful and rather pretty note. The nest, which is concealed among the thick underbrush, is dome-shaped, and is composed of leaves and grass, and lined with fine fibrous roots and feathers.
In this, three- eggs are laid, ten and a half lines long and eight lines broad. In colour they are fleshy-white, spotted with chestnut-red. As is usual with this genus, the sexes present little or no difference in outward appearance. The crown of the head, back, wings, and tail, dark olive-brown, tinged with red; rump and upper tail-coverts, rufous ; lores, blackish-brown ; throat, greyish-white, spotted with blackish-brown ; chest and abdomen, brownish-grey; irides, yellow ; bill, black; legs and feet, brown.
Total length, 5 inches; bill, g inch; wing, 2f inches; tail, 2 1 inches; tarsi, 1 inch. Like all its congeners it is found principally among' the creeks and gullies, or in a dense and. Its note is soft and pretty, and is uttered while hopping about, in. The breeding season extends from August to the end of December. The outer portion of the nest is constructed of leaves and moss, and the inner part of grass and fibrous roots, the whole being warmly lined with feathers.
The nest is dome-shaped, and is placed, sometimes in long grass or undergrowth, and at other times beneath a shelving rock on the bank of a creek.
The eggs are white, tinged with red, and spotted irregularly with reddish-brown. They are three in number, and are in. Two, and sometimes three broods, are reared. The female is smaller than the male, but otherwise the sexes do not differ in appearance. Crown of the head, ear-coverts, back, wings, and tail, are olive-brown ; lores, blackish-brown ; throat and chest, greyish-white; abdomen, white, tinged with yellow ; flanks, yellowish-brown ; irides, reddish-brown ; bill, brownish-grey ; legs and feet, brown.
It inhabits gullies and scrubby places, remaining altogether on the ground and feeding on insects. Of its mode of nidification nothing is definitely known ; but it is not likely to differ in this from its congeners. Upper surface, wings, and tail, are dark brown, the tail tipped with white ; spurious wing-leathers, blackish-brown, tipped with white; line above the eye and under surface, greyish-white ; irides, greyish-white ; hill, legs, and feet, blackish-brown.
It is found in most of the gullies and brushes of New South ales, both near the coast and in the interior. It is a very difficult matter to obtain specimens, as its shy disposition leads it to remain hidden on the branches of a high tree. The nest, like that of Sericornis Citreogularis , is placed in a mass of moss hanging from one of the branches of a tree, sometimes at a great height from the ground, and at other times very low down. It breeds from August to February, laying either two or three eggs of a reddish-white colour, streaked and spotted with dark brown, and measuring nine and a half lines in length, and seven lines in breadth.
Two, and sometimes three, broods are reared in the season. The crown of the head and ear-coverts are light rufous-brown ; rest of upper surface, wings and tail, brownish-black ; under surface, grey ; irides, brown ; bill, black ; legs and feet, brown.
Specimens from the first two parts differ slightly in colouring from those procured on the north coast, but the difference is too trivial to justify their division into two separate species. It frequents the same class of country as its conveners, and like them also, is very shy.
Its powers of flight are very small, and are very seldom used, as it remains almost entirely on the ground, and when disturbed creeps away among the scrub. The nest is constructed in the same way as those of the other members of the genus.
The eggs, three in number, are fleshy-white, with spots and streaks of reddish-brown distributed irregularly over the surface, being most numerous towards the larger end. They arc nine lines in length, and seven lines in breadth. All the upper surface, wings, and tail, dark olive, tail, tipped with white ; spurious wing feathers, black, margined with white ; lores and ear-coverts, black ; throat and chest, grey, spotted with black ; under surface, greyish-white, tinged with yellow; line above the eye, greyish-white ; h ides, greyish-white ; bill, black ; legs and feet, brown.
It is found in all plains covered with long grass, among which it creeps, allowing itself to be almost trodden upon before rising. Its powers of flight are only used on a last extremity to save itself. The male is slightly larger than the female, but as far as the colouring of the plumage is concerned there is no difference between them.
T HIS, the smallest member of the genus, inhabits the north coast of Australia, where it was first discovered by Gilbert in a swampy place near Port Essington. It is exceedingly shy in disposition, and remains entirely on the ground, always choosing places thickly covered with long grass, which serves to effectually conceal it from view. The early morning in the spring months is the best time to obtain a sight of it, as then the male often perches on a high piece of grass, and pours forth a very musical, but feeble song.
Crown of the head, back of the neck, and rump, rufous, with broard strife of blackish-brown down the head ; back, wings, and tail, blackish-brown, the feathers margined with rufous, and the tail tipped with white; throat and chest, white; rest of under surface, irides, legs, and feet, yellowish-buff; bill, black.
Total length, 3f inches ; bill, l inch ; wing, If inch ; tail, If inch ; tarsi, f inch. It inhabits the eastern -L portion of Australia, but its range is not clearly defined. In habits and manners it does not differ from its congeners, like them frequenting grassy plains, and feeding on insects.
The sexes do not differ in colouring, but the female is somewhat less in size than the male. Crown of the head, back, and wings, blackish-brown, each feather margined with brownish-grey; tail, reddish-brown ; chin and lores white ; under surface, yellowish-white ; irides, yellowish-brown; bill black ; legs and feet, yellowish-brown. I N most of the plains of New South Wales and Victoria, specimens can be found of Cisticola I sura, so named by Gould on account of the short tail, which is its most distinctive feature.
It has the same shy disposition characteristic of all the species belonging to the same genus, and also resembles them in habits, and in the class of food on which it subsists. The crown of the head, back, wings, and tail, are blackish-brown, each feather margined with buff; sides of the neck, flanks, and centre of abdomen, yellowish-buff; chest, huffy-white ; chin, throat, and vent, white ; irides, yellowish-brown ; bill, legs, and feet, brown.
It is readily distinguishable from all its congeners by the rufous colouring of the head. Like them, it inhabits grassy places and feeds on insects. The crown of the head and back of the neck are rufous ; back, wings, and tail, brownish-black, each feather margined with buff; throat, chest, and under surface, fawn colour : irides, very light fawn colour ; bill, blackish-brown ; legs and feet, yellowish-brown.
It is closely allied to the Sphenurce, which it -L resembles in many respects. Unfortunately, on account of its very great shyness, very little is at present known of it beyond the fact that it inhabits dense scrub. Its whereabouts may always be discovered by its peculiar noisy note, but it is a very difficult matter to obtain a sight of it. All the upper surface, wings, and tail are brown; throat and chest white, with an irregular patch of blackish-brown on the chest ; abdomen and flanks, reddish-buff; irides, dark red ; bill, dark brown ; legs and feet, black.
Total length, 7 - inches; bill, -g- inch; wing, 3 inches; tail, 4 inches ; tarsi, 1 inch. O NLY two species are known of this genus; both inhabiting one has a much more extensive range than the other. It is found in small companies of four or five, generally on the sides of gullies, or in other stony places which are, more or less, covered with scrub and fallen timber.
It remains almost entirely on the ground, and very seldom flies, but eludes pursuit by running along the ground and between the bushes with great rapidity. Among the fallen trunks of trees, and in small bushes it obtains great numbers of insects of all kinds, which constitute its sole food.
While perched on a scrubby tree, or on a fallen limb, it pours forth a lively and musical song. Dissection is necessary to distinguish the sexes, so much do they resemble each other.
Crown of the head, upper surface, wings, and tail, blackish-brown, the tail tipped with white ; rump, rufous; under surface, greyish-white, spotted with black; irides, dark red; bill, grey ; legs and feet, fleshy-brown. It is smaller than its congener, Hylacola Pyrrhopygia, but in habits resembles it greatly. It remains in the thickest part of the scrub, hopping over the ground in search of insects, all the time holding the tail erect from its body. Occasionally it perches on a bush or low tree, and pours forth its sweet and lively song.
Crown of the head, upper surface, and wings, brown, the primaries having the base of the outer web white; tail, blackish-brown, tipped with white; line above the eye, white; under surface, greyish-white ; the throat, chest, and part of the flanks, striated with black; irides, brown ; bill, black ; legs and feet, yellowish-brown. A MONG the forests about the Richmond River the Rufescent Scrub-bird is fairly abundant, although, on account of its very shy disposition, it is very little seen.
The first specimen was obtained by Mr. Wilcox, but Ramsay was the first to give a description of its habits. It mostly remains among creepers and vines, and, being a perfect ventriloquist, and, moreover, having the gift of being able to mock the notes of all the other birds, it is easily able to throw the observer off the track.
Indeed it is most bewildering to be in its neighbourhood, as you will hear the notes of different birds in all directions, whilst perhaps the cause of it all is at a very short distance, hidden in some creeping plant. It obtains its food of insects from the bark of trees, or from fallen logs.
Crown of the head, vent, flanks, and tail-coverts, rufous ; upper surface, wings, and tail, blackish-brown; lores, pale buff; throat, chest, and centre of abdomen, dark grey; hides, yellowish-buff; bill, legs, and feet, black. Broadbent, by whom the specimen was forwarded I to McCoy, is distributed sparsely over Victoria, never being found in other than scrubby places, or dense thickets where the ground is covered with thick undergrowth.
It differs from the other members of the genus, which will be hereafter described, in the greater length of the hill and wings, and in the rufous colouring of the head.
It is a very active bird, running with great rapidity over the ground, and along the logs with which the ground is generally strewed. Its note is very pretty, and resembles greatly that of the English thrush. It feeds on insects. The female is slightly smaller than the male, but does not differ from it in colouring. The crown of the head, back of the neck, and ear-coverts are rufous; back, wings, and tail, brown ; chin, and space round the eye, white; under surface, grey ; irides, brown; upper mandible of the bill, black ; under mandible, white ; legs and feet, black.
The upper surface, blackish-brown, inclining to rufous on the lower part of the back ; wings,. Scr«u b - I rd. O F the three members of this group, two inhabit the eastern portion of Australia, and the other the west coast.
T HE present species inhabits scrubby places in New South Wales, especially where there is abundance of long grass and creeping plants. It runs along the ground very swiftly, seldom exercising its powers of flight, but eluding pursuit with great ease by threading its way through the undergrowth.
Its food, which is obtained on the ground, consists of insects of various kinds. The nest is formed of dried grasses, and is placed in a tuft of grass or a small bush. The upper surface is dark brown ; the centre of the back, the wings, and tail, are rufous-brown, the wings and tail feathers being margined with darker colour ; under surface, greyish-white ; on the crown of the head and back of the neck are short lines of greyish-white; irides, brown; bill, dark brown ; legs and feet, dark grey; a line over the eye is pale buff.
Although fairly abundant, it is very difficult to obtain specimens, on account of its shyness, which leads it to remain almost entirely among the underbrush and grass. It very seldom flies, and never at any considerable height from the ground.
When running along the ground, it keeps its tail erect, after the manner of the Maluri. Its song, which is generally poured forth from the branch of a small scrubby tree, is loud, and rather melodious. The food consists of insects, and seeds of various plants and grasses. The nest, which is large for the size of the bird, is of a round shape, and is made of dried grasses.
The eggs, two in number, are brownish-white, spotted with darker brown, the spots being most numerous at the larger end. This bird is smaller than the Sphenura Brachyptera, but the only differences in the plumage are, that it has a rufous patch round the eye, and that the lines on the crown of the head are fewer in number,. The males are remarkable for the beauty of their plumage during the breeding season, but at other times the sexes are alike. Elsey, to whose energy many important discoveries in Australian ornithology are due.
Nothing is known of the habits of this bird, but it is not probable that they differ much from those of the other members of the genus. The male has the crown of the head light purplish-brown, with a patch of black in the centre ; a band of black extends from the bill to the back of the neck ; the back and wings, light brown ; tail, greenish-blue, the lateral feathers margined and tipped with light brown ; throat and chest, buffy-white; rest of under surface deep buff; irides, bill, and feet, brown.
The female has the upper surface light brown ; lores, and space behind the eye, white ; ear-coverts, chestnut ; and in all other particulars resembles the male. The head, ear-coverts, and the centre of the back are delicate violet-blue ; the lores, throat, chest, crescent across the upper part of the back, and the rump are black; scapularies, chestnut; wings, brown ; abdomen, greyish-white; tail feathers, dark greenish-blue, tipped with white ; irides, grey ; bill, black ; legs and feet, chestnut brown.
It procures its food of insects on the ground, and among fallen trees and logs. It runs along the ground with great swiftness, very seldom using its powers of flight. During the winter it is very tame, but becomes much more shy in the breeding season. It breeds from August to January, building a nest of grass and leaves, lined with feathers and fur, and placing it either in a tuft of grass or in a small bush.
The eggs, which are five in number, are fleshy-white, with blotches of reddish-brown irregularly distributed over the surface. They are nine lines in length and six and a quarter lines in breadth.
This bird not only rears two or three broods of its own, but also acts as foster mother to the young of Chrysococcyx Lucidus. The male has the head, ear-coverts, and a lunar-shaped mark on the upper part of the back, light blue; the rest of the upper surface, the throat and chest, black; wings, brown; tail, blackish-brown; abdomen, greyish-white; irides, brown; bill, black ; legs and feet, brown.
The female has the lores and a circle round the eye, reddish-brown ; upper surface, brown ; all under surface, greyish-white; the rest as in the male. T HE Malurus Melanocephalus is found in parts of New South Wales, Victoria, and South Australia, particularly in damp places, such as ravines and valleys where there is abundance of long grass.
It runs about the ground, holding its tail erect, and sometimes mounts on a high stem of grass to pour forth a feeble, but not unmelodious note.
It is most closely allied to Malurus Cyaneus, which it resembles greatly in habits. The male has thq head, neck, ear-coverts, tail-coverts, tail and under surface, black; wings, dark brown; back and rump, scarlet; irides, bill, and feet, brown. The female is brown, the under surface being lighter than the upper part. In its habits it does not differ materially from the other members of the genus, like them assuming its gay attire only during the breeding season. It breeds during September and the three following months, and lays four eggs in a dome-shaped nest, made of the bark of the Melaleuca Tea-tree , lined with feathers, and suspended from some small shrub-like tree, the Tea-tree being most frequently chosen.
The eggs are about eight lines in length and six lines in breadth. Their colour is white, slightly tinted with pink, and spotted with reddish-brown. The male has. The female has all the upper surface and wings, brown; throat and under surface, greyish-white; all the rest very much the same as the male. It frequents the same class of country as the Mcilurus Melanocephalus, namely, damp places covered with long grass and under-growth. It also frequents gardens, and sometimes even builds its nest in trees in the middle of a town.
It seldom Hies, but runs along the ground very swiftly, keeping the tail erect. The insects which constitute its food are obtained among the grass or from fallen logs and trees. During the Autumn and Winter it is very tame, but on assuming its beautiful plumage the male becomes exceedingly shy and timid, but at the same time most anxious to show oft its gay attire. During the breeding season a dome-shaped nest, formed of grass and lined with feathers, is. The eggs are pinky-white,. The ' are four in number, and are eight lines long by five and a half lines broad.
This bird rears two broods in the season, and morever acts as foster-parent to the young of the Bronze Cuckoo, whose single egg is often laid in the nest. The male has the head, ear-coverts, and a lunar-shaped mark on the upper part of the back. The female has the lores and a circle round the eye reddish-brown ; upper surface, wings, and tail, brown ; under surface, greyish-white.
I N the scrubby places bordering the river Murray in Victoria and South Australia, this species is fairly common, though, on account of its shyness, great difficulty is experienced in procuring specimens. In appearance and general characteristics it is a medium between Malurus Cyaneus and Mrdunis Splendent, but exceeds either of them in its running powers, which arc very great. In habits it resembles the other members of the group.
The male has the back of the neck, a line through the eye, a band across the chest, and the rump, black; lores and patch beneath the eye, white; wings, light brown, tinged with green across the middle; tail, greenish-blue; all the rest of the plumage beautiful metallic blue; irides, brown ; bill, grey ; legs and feet, blackish-brown.
The female has the lores and a circle surrounding the eye, reddish-brown, all the upper surface, brown ; under surface, brownish-white ; wings, brown; tail, green ; bill, reddish-brown. The breeding season lasts from September to the end of December, during which time four eggs are laid in a dome-shaped nest, constructed of grass and lined with wool or feathers. The eggs are flesh-white in colour, with spots and blotches of reddish-brown distributed over the surface, particularly at the larger end.
Their length is eight and a quarter lines, and their breadth six and a quarter lines. The male has the crown of the head, back, scapularies, and tail-coverts, deep blue ; ear-coverts. The female has the bill,' lores, and circle round the eyes, reddish-brown; crown of the head.
It is most closely allied to Malurus Elegans. The nest, which is usually suspended from one of the branches of a low, scrub-like tree, is made of grass and lined with hair or feathers. The eggs are either two or three in number, and are flesh-white, blotched with reddish-brown. It is found about the north-western coast of Australia, particularly' in the neighbourhood of Port Essington.
The male has the head, neck, under surface, rump, and tail, black; -primaries and. The female is uniform light brown, inclining to white on the abdomen. Total length, 4 inches; bill, inch ; wing, If inch; tail, If inch; tarsi, f inch.
It resembles its near congener, Malurus Cyaneus , in its habits, mode of nidification, and in the number and colour of its eggs. The male has the forehead, ear-coverts, sides of the head, occiput, and upper part of the back, violet-blue ; crown of the head, throat, breast, crescent across the upper part of the back, and the rump,, black ; centre of the back, light purple ; scapularies, chestnut; wings, brown ; tail, greenish-blue, margined and tipped with brown ; under surface, white; bill, black; irides, legs, and feet, dark brown.
The female has the body dull brown, the throat and under surface being much lighter; bill and space round the eye, reddish-brown. It is very shy in disposition, and, on being approached, runs off among- the long grass at a rate which soon distances the pursuer.
It very seldom flies, but remains almost entirely on the ground. The nest is constructed, in the shape of a dome, of grass, and has a hole in the side for entrance. Four eggs are laid, the length of which is eight lines, and the breadth six lines. Their colour, as in the case of the other members of the genus, is flesh-white, spotted with reddish-brown.
The male has the head, the upper and under surface of the body, and the tail, deep blue ; wing-coverts, scapularies, and tertiaries, white; primaries and secondaries, brown, margined with white bill, blackish-brown ; irides, legs, and feet, brown. The female has the crown of the head, and all the upper surface, and flanks, brown ; throat and abdomen, brownish-white; bill, reddish-brown. A LTHOUGH differing, to a certain extent, in form and style of colouring from the other members of the genus, the differences are not sufficiently marked to justify the division of this species into a new genus.
It is found in the northern part of Queensland, where the first specimens were procured by Jardine. Its habits, as far as is known, do not differ from those of its congeners to any. The crown of the head, ear-coverts, back, and two centre tail-feathers are deep blue; the remainder of the tail, brown, the whole tipped with white ; space round the eye, and all the under surface, light fawn colour, the throat and breast being much lighter than the rest ; wings and irides, dark brown ; bill, black ; legs and feet, fleshy-brown.
The female has the upper surface, wings, and tail, light brown; under surface, creamy-white, washed with fawn colour on the sides of the neck, the chest, and the flanks.
In form it resembles most the Mcilurus Splendens, and its habits are the same as those. The crown of the head, ear-coverts, and back are light turquoisine-blue ; a narrow line through the eye, the back of the neck, and crescent-shaped marks across the centre of the back and the chest,. T HE characteristic feature of this species is the white colouring of the back, by which it may readily be distinguished from Malurus Leucopterus, to which, in other respects, it bears a strong resemblance.
In the spring months it builds a dome-shaped nest, in which four spotted eggs are laid. The head, neck, under surface, rump, and tail are deep blue; the centre of the back, shoulders, scapularies, and wing-feathers except the primaries, which are brown , are pure white ; irides, bill, 1 legs, and feet, brown.
White- backed Superb Warbler. River, where it frequents scrubby and grassy places almost devoid of trees. In habits it resembles greatly the Maluri, like them feeding on insects obtained on the. It breeds in the Spring months, building a dome-shaped nest of various grasses. The upper surface is red, with a line of white down each feather ; ear-coverts, black, striated with white wings and tail, dark brown ; chin and throat, white ; chest, buffy-white ; abdomen.
It associates in small troops from four to six in number, and runs over the o-round, and among fallen logs with great rapidity, all the time keeping its tail erect. The nest, which is dome-shaped, contains four, and sometimes five eggs of a flesh-white colour, spotted with reddish-brown. The upper surface is brown, each feather with a narrow strip of white down the centre under surface, brownish-white, tinged with red on the hanks ; wings and tail, dark brown ; irides, brown ; bill, black ; legs and feet, dark brown.
O NLY one species is known of this exclusively Australian genus, which resembles the Mciluri in manj' points. J- coast of Australia, from the southern part of Queensland to Western Australia. It also inhabits. It is found principally in swampy places covered with long grass and reeds, where it associates in small hocks. It is essentially a terrestrial bird, and by its great activity and swiftness in running can.
It only hies when very hard pressed, and then but for a short distance, when it again plunges down among the reeds. Whilst running about the ground the tail is carried erect.
The nest, which is of an oval form, is placed in a tuft of grass and contains three eggs. It is constructed of grass and lined with fine roots and moss. The eggs are white, slightly tinted. The tail is a very peculiar feature. It is very long, and the feathers are all separated, and. Crown of the head, ear-coverts and flanks, are reddish-chestnut, the feathers of the crown. The female is smaller, and is destitute of the blue colouring on the throat. It differs from the eastern representatives of the genus in its more robust form, and in the greater length of the tail, but assimilates closely to them in habits.
The upper surface is brown, each feather having a stripe of white down the centre ; under surface, very light brown, with a stripe of dark down each feather ; tail dark olive-brown ; irides,.
O F this form, two species exist, one inhabiting the eastern, and the other the western portion of Australia. T HAT energetic and persevering ornithologist, Gilbert, has, in this bird, added another to the long list of discoveries which science owes to him.
He found it near the coast of Western Australia, frequenting sand-hills covered with a species of Lcptospermum tea-tree. It feeds entirely on insects, obtained among the fallen leaves and sticks which strew the ground. The upper surface is dark olive-brown ; primaries, brown, the remainder of the wings, olive ; tail-feathers, olive, margined with black, and tipped with white ; throat and chest, black; a stripe of white runs from the angle of the lower mandible ; under surface, ash-grey, tinged on the flanks with brown ; irides, dark brown ; bill, legs, and feet, dark horn colour.
T HIS is one of the inhabitants of the dense brushes of New South Wales, which are the home of so many peculiar forms of bird life. It is very shy in disposition, and generallj- remains among the thick foliage of the trees, or among climbing plants, clinging to them in various graceful attitudes.
It obtains its food of insects by scratching among the dead leaves on the ground, and turning over small stones. Its note is very remarkable, resembling nothing so much as the cracking of a whip, and is continually poured forth during the day, especially in springtime, when it becomes very animated and lively.
The eggs, which are an inch and an eighth in length, and thirteen-sixteenths of an inch in breadth, are laid in a nest formed of grass, and placed in a small bush. They are two in number, and are greenish-white, spotted with black. The male has the head, chin, ear-coverts, and breast, black ; a large patch of white on each side of the neck ; all the upper and under surface, and tail, very dark olive-green, the three lateral tail-feathers on each side, and some of the feathers on the centre of the abdomen, being tipped with white ; wings, olive-brown ; irides, dark red ; bill, legs, and feet, black.
The female is smaller, and her plumage is not so distinctly marked as that of the male. It is very shy and retiring in disposition, and for this reason, and also on account of the out-of-the-way places it inhabits, next to nothing is known of its habits.
The nest is constructed of small sticks, and lined with fine grasses. The eggs are white, tinged with green, and spotted with greyish-black.
The general plumage is brown, lighter beneath ; chin, and sides of the head, white ; wings, dark brown, the primaries margined with white ; tail, blackish-brown, tipped with white; irides, dark brown ; bill and feet, black. Some naturalists, Gould among the J- number, divide them into three, making a separate species of the one from Victoria, but the differences observable scarcely warrant this division.
It is found only in dense brushes and deep rocky gullies and creeks, but on. Tt constructs little round hillocks, on which it dances about in the early morning or the. It also mocks all the other birds in. It imitates. I once saw in Victoria, early in the morning, several females and young birds sitting round. They all watched very attentively, and when he had. It feeds on the larger kinds of insects, obtained chiefly by scratching among the. It never flies, but runs along, leaping over logs and boulders, at an extraordinary rate, so that, even if an observer happens t'o be near, it has gone like a flash.
The nest is placed generally on the ledge of an overhanging rock, in an almost inaccessible. It is constructed. Only one egg is laid, purplish-grey in colour, spotted with dark brown. Its length is two and a half inches, and its breadth one and five-eighths inch.
The general plumage is bluish-brown; the wing feathers, rufous-brown; upper tail coverts. The female is more greyish in colour, and is destitute of the lyre-shaped tail.
I ilOR a long time the only species known of this genus was the Menura Superba, but another was discovered among the brushes of the northern part of New South Wales, to which Gould gave the name of Menura Alberti.
In habits and general economy it is exactly like its congener, in fact, the only differences consist in the rufous colouring of the plumage, and in the somewhat different shape of the tail, the outer feathers, which in Menura Superba are the longest, being in this bird the shortest. The nest is composed of sticks, lined with fine roots, and is placed generally in the fork of a tree, near the ground, or on the ledge of a rock.
The single egg which is laid is bluish-grey in. The male has the crown of the head and back of the neck, black ; the upper surface and. The female has not the peculiarly shaped tail, but in other respects is similar to the male. Like all the Robin tribe, it is very tame, and JL when perched on a log or stump will sometimes allow persons to approach so close as to he almost able to touch it with the hand.
Skip to content. Explore Taxonomy. Surprise Me. Previous Shining Flycatcher. Next White-winged Chough. Sign in to see your badges. Novitates Zoologicae 31, p. More details: Guide to key entries Standard abbreviations and symbols. Account navigation Account navigation Account. These videos will help you identify threats in or around your home, as well learn how to manage or control them.
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