MUSCICAPID.E. '^' 



Family MUSCICAPID^. 

 Rhipidura albiscapa. 



WHITE-SHAFTED FANTAIL. 

 Rhipidura flaU'UMa (nee Grael.), Vig. A Horsf., Trans. Linn. Soc, Vol. XV., p. 247 (1S26). 

 RhipicUra albiscapa, Gould, Proc. Zool. See, 1840, p. 113; Sharpe, Cat. Bds. B.-it. AIus., Vol. IV., 

 p. :510 (1879). 

 Adult MXLE-Geueral colour above ashy-brown, slightly darker on the head; lesser wing-coverts 

 ashy-brown; median and greater winy-coverts dark brown, with a spot of white on the tips of their 

 outer webs; quills dark brown, the secondaries edged with white on their outer tvehs ; tioo central 

 tail-feathers blacki.h-brown, the remainder a,hy brown with a blackish-brown wash on their outer 

 toebs and lipped loith white; shafts of the two central feathers blackish-brown, of the remainder and 

 the outermost web of the outermost feather white ; lores and sides of the face dull blackish-brown; a 

 line over the eye, and one above the ear-coverts white ; cheeks and throat white; lower throat dull 

 black; remainder of the under surface pale ochraceons-buf; sides of the breast ashy-brown; under 

 tail coverts white; bill black, base of the lower mandible yelloioish horn colour; legs and feet 

 brownish-black; iris black. Total length in the fesh >r25 inches, wing 3, tail -I:',, 'nil 0-28, 

 tarstis ()'7. 



Adult fem.\LE — Similar in plumage to the male. 



Distribution.— Queens\a.nd, New South Wales. X'ictoria, South Australia. 

 /^,:%HE White-shafted Fantail is a common resident throughout the greater portion of 

 X Eastern and South-eastern Australia. Although found m the mland portions of the 

 States, it is more frequently met with in open forest-lands and lightly timbered scrub near the 

 coast ' Favourite haunts also are humid mountain ranges and gullies. It is a lively and 

 attractive species, and is usually met with in pairs, resorting sometimes to the topmost 

 branches of the lofty Encalvpti, but just as often to saplings or low Melale:u-a scrub within 

 a few feet of the ground. It is also a close attendant on cultivation and is common about 

 orchards and gardens, ridding the fruit trees and shrubs of many insect pests. Seldom does 

 this active little bird remain still ; it is almost constantly on the move, darting forth ever and 

 anon to capture some passing insect, or fluttering slowly from tree to tree. During flight, and 

 often when perched, it spreads the long feathers of its beautiful fan-shaped tail. When 

 haunting orchards and gardens it becomes very tame, frequently warblmg its low but sweet 

 son- while perched onlv a few feet away, or passing within arm's length of one, as they 

 playfully chase each other from tree to tree. The song of this bird consists of a quick.y 

 uttered "chip chip," followed by a succession of clear and varied musical notes. 



The food of the White-shafted Fantail consists of flies, moths, and small msects of all 

 kinds, captured mostly while on the wing, also the larva^ of various insects found on leaves 

 and branches. 



Some specimens obtained near Sydney, apparently very old birds, are dark smoky-grey 

 above, and have the longer upper tail-coverts blackish-brown. The wing measurement of 

 fully adult males varies from 2-8 inches to 3 inches. 



' The nest is an exceedingly neat and beautiful structure, resembling in form a wine-gUiss 

 with the base or stand broken ofif close to the lower end of the stem. Usually it is formed ot 

 strips and shreds of the soft inner bark of trees, bound round and held together with spiders 



