PTKROPODOCYS. 



Ill 



inform me that they have never seen or heard of its being obtained in the southern parts 

 of the hitter State.' It was met with by tlie Horn Scientific Expedition at Crown Point 

 and main' places alon- the iMnke Kiver, in Central Australia; Mr. Edwin Ashby observed 

 a fiock at Callion, about eiRhty-hve miles north of Coolgardie; and Mr. George Masters 

 obtained specimens near the Salt River, about fifty miles from Perth, Western Australia. An 

 adult male from the latter locality has the cheeks, throat, fore-neck, and chest of a darker^grey 

 than typical eastern examples, but a similar specimen was procured by the late Mr. K. H. 

 Bennett, at Mossgiel, New South Wales. The wing measurement varies from 77 inches to 

 8-4 inches, the foregoing description being taken from a fine old adult male shot by me near 

 Moree. 



In North-western and Western New South Wales it is a resident species, and although 

 widely distributed is by no means numerous. It frequents chiefly large open grassy plains 

 dotted here and there with low bushes and lofty trees, or sparsely timbered forest country 



contiguous to them. Near the Namoi and Gwydir 

 F'Jivers, I met with it sometimes singly, or in pairs, but 

 more often in small flocks of four or fi\e in number, 

 passing most of its time on the ground, over which it 

 runs with remarkable celerity in search of insects and 

 their larva?, which constitute its food. It is usually very 

 shy and uary, and exceedingly difficult to approach, 

 more especially while on the ground. 



At Tyreel Station, on the Gwydir River, I shot an 

 adult male, female, and a young female, on the gth 

 November, 1897. These birds were part of a flock of 

 five, and a friend had kindly driven me a long distance 

 over the plains while m pursuit of them. I had a 

 similar experience a few days later, on Weebollabolla 

 Station, while accompanied by Mr. C. J. McMaster, the 

 birds when disturbed flying fully a quarter of a mile before 

 settling again on the open plain. I secured a young male, 

 and found that these flocks usually consisted of an adult 

 pair of birds accompanied by their young. 



The shrill notes of this species are usually uttered 

 during flight, and somewhat resemble those of the 

 Black-breasted Plover (Saniophorus tricolor). 



The late Mr. K. H. Bennett found many nests and 

 egcs of this species; and there is a fine series of eggs, also young m all stages of plumage, in 

 the Australian Museum, collected by him during his long residence in the western portion of 

 New South Wales. 



The nest, winch ,s built on a horizontal forked branch, resembles that o^ Graucalus rnela,u>ps^^ 

 but is sonrewhat larger and deeper, being composed externally of dried ^^^ ^ ^ ^ ^-^J 

 grasses, thm fibrous roots, and bark fibre, bound together with spiders web, the shaUow 

 saucer-like cavitv being lined with wool, fur, or other soft material. An average nest ineasures 

 externally five inches in diameter bv two inches in ^epth^he m.er cav.ty three i^^^^^^^^^^ 

 three-quarters in diameter by one inch m depth. Some nests are larger, and but t t'-oughout of 

 softer material. One now before me. taken by the late Mr. K. H. Bennett, at ^.-dembah bt t on, 

 is a thick, rounded, mattrass-like structure, formed principally of wool, with -h.<^h i-nte 

 min-ded plant-stems, fine rootlets, dried grasses, and a few feathers; it ineasures externally 



CiHuUND CUCKOO SHRIKK. 



