148 MUSCICAPID^. 



margined on their basal half with olive-green, and similarly tipped tvith while as in the male; /ore- 

 head, and a line of feathers extending from the nostril, above the eye, and on to the ear-coverls olive- 

 yelloir ; feathers in front and below the eye and the ear-coverts blackish-brown ; chin, sides of the 

 neck, throat, and fore-neck lohite : remainder of the umler surface pah olive-green, icith blackish 

 margins to some of the feathers: centre of the breast whitish, ivith a slight olive-green tinge: under 

 tail-coverts bright olive-yellow. Total length 3 inches, wing 2-3, tail ,', bill O'o, tarsus O'G. 



Distribution. — North-eastern Queensland. 



AT^HIS species may be readily distinguished from all the Flycatchers found in Australia 

 JL by its broad and nearly flat boat-shaped bill. It is an inhabitant of the coastal scrubs 

 and table-lands of the contiguous mountain ranges of North-eastern Queensland. Mr. J. A. 

 Thorpe obtained several specimens at Somerset, in 1867-8. During the stay of the "Chevert," 

 Mr. George Masters also procured examples in the same locality. ]\Ir. Frank Hislop informs 

 me that it is not common in the Bloomfield River District, although the birds may be seen 

 botii in the scrub and open forest-land, and generally in the breeding season. Messrs. Cairn 

 and Grant, while collecting on behalf of the Trustees of the .Australian Museum, in i888-g, met 

 with it in the scrub near Cairns, and obtained specimens on the tablelands near Peterson's 

 Pocket, on the Upper Barron River; and the late Mr. Edward Spalding obtained both adults 

 and young in the scrub near Cardwell. 



Mr. (irant writes: — "The Boat-billed Flycatcher was met with in the coastal scrubs near 

 Cairns; but the first specimen we obtained was shot on the table-lands on the Upper Barron 

 River, and others were procured in the scrubs around Boar Pocket. They seem to prefer 

 shady parts of the scrub, but occasionally fly out in the clearings after some passing insect, 

 returning to the same place again after capturing it. They are extremely active and lively in 

 their actions, and generally frequent the scrub or low branches of trees, those we obtained we 

 never saw higher than between twenty and thirty feet from the ground. Their note resembles 

 somewhat that of the Glossy Flycatcher, but is fainter and more plaintive. The stomachs of 

 the specimens we examined contained nothing but insects." 



Mr. Bertie L. Jardine has sent me the following notes: — "Macharorhyiuhus flavivcnter is a 

 resident species in the northern portion of the Cape York Peninsula, where it is almost 

 invariably found in our dense scrubs and thickets. During July, August, and September — 

 its nesting season — the birds become very lively and are constantly on the move, flying from 

 branch to branch, uttering their rather agreeable twittering song. The adult male, like many 

 other birds of bright and attractive plumage, is of a shy disposition, so that it is difficult to 

 get a good look at them owing to the density of the foliage which they are fond of frequenting; 

 but the young males and females are comparatively tame, and specimens of them may easily 

 be obtained." 



A nest of this species in the National Museum, Melbourne, found at Cape York, is a very 

 shallow saucer-shaped structure, built in the angle of a thin horizontal forked branch. Out- 

 wardly it is constructed of dried flowering plant stalks, matted together with cobwebs, the 

 inner portion consisting entirely of fine dried spiral plant-tendrils. Externally it measures 

 three inches in diameter, by one inch and three-quarters in depth; and internally two inches 

 in diameter by half an inch in depth. Eggs two in number for a sitting, varying from oval to 

 swollen oval in form, the shell being close-grained and its surface smooth and slightly lustrous. 

 They are pure white, and are distinctly dotted and spotted with different shades of purple and 

 red, more particularly on the larger end of the shell, where, in some specimens, the markings 

 assume the form of an ill-defined zone. Length: — (A) o-66 x 0-52 inches; (B) o-68 x 0-51 inches. 



The eggs of the Boat-billed Flycatcher resemble those of Ephihianiira albifrons, more 

 than any other species. For an opportunity of examining them, I am indebted to Dr. 



