336 TIMELIID^. 



fore-neck and upper breast have conspicuous brown centres, and the under tai!-coverts are pale 

 buff, ^^'ing 3'35 inches. 



The breeding season in New South Wales commences in September, in \'ictoria a month 

 later, and continues until the middle of January. In both States, however, nests with eggs 

 are more numerous in November. In Queensland, October and November appear to be 

 the principal months for nests with eggs; but I have a set of three, taken in the Dawson 

 River District, on the 25th February, 1893. 



C3-en.-U.S J^S<DF'-^L:D:n)'^S, Vigors it Horsjle/d. 



Psophodes crepitans. 



WHIP-lilKU. 

 Muscica])a crepitans, Lath , Ind. Orn., Suppl., p. 11., (1801). 



Psophodes crepitans, Gould, Bds. Austr., fol., Vol. Ill, pi. 1") (184:8); id., Handbk. Bds. Austr., 

 Vol. T., p. 312 (186.")); Sharpe, Cat. Bd.s. Brit. Mus., Vol VII , p. 3.50(1883); Hand-1. Bds., 

 Vol. IV., p. 5 (1903). 



AuuLT M.^LE — Head and nape black, remainder of upper surface olive-green; upper iving-coverts 

 like the hack; quills dnsky-broion, the outer primaries narrondy edged tvith broirn, the remainder, 

 also the secondaries margined ewtemally icith olive-green, increasing in extent toivards the innermost 

 secondaries, trhich have both tvebs olive-green; central tail feathers olive-green, the remainder blackish- 

 brown, washed with olive-green on their outer webs, but less distinctly on the three outermost feathers 

 on either side, which are tipped icith ivliite; lores, feathers below the eye, ear-coverts, and sides of the 

 neck black; cheeks and sides of the throat white; cliin, centre of the throat, and breast black; some of 

 the feathers on the throat slightly edged with white, and those on the centre of the breast and abdomen 

 broadly tipped with white, forming a conspicuous patch; sides of the body and abdomen ashy-brown, 

 slightly ivashed with olive-green; under tail-coverts dull olive-green; bill black; legs and feet dark 

 reddish-brozvn. Total length iyi the flesh 10-73 inches, wing 3 7, tailo75, bill 8, tarsus 1- 25. 



Adult F'K.male — Similar in plumage lo the male. 



Distribution. — Southern Queensland, New South ^^'ales, \'ictoria. 



/"T^ME Whip-bird is generally distributed throughout the coastal brushes and humid 

 J- mountain ranges of South-eastern Queensland, Eastern New South Wales, and 

 Victoria. It gives decided preference for localities wherever ferns abound, and which are 

 clothed with a dense and lu.xurious vegetation. Near Sydney it is tolerably common in the 

 scrubby undergrowth of North Shore, Homebush Bay, and Cook's River, its range extending 

 inland to the western slopes of the Blue Mountains. It is a rather shy and restless species, and 

 may be generally seen traversing the low undergrowth in pairs, or hopping over the fallen 

 leaves in search of various kinds of insects, which constitute its food. Sometimes it will leave 

 these secure retreats and take up its residence in gardens close at hand, but never for any 

 length of time or for the purposes of breeding. Although usually of a wary disposition, it 

 is remarkably inquisitive, especially when young. At Roseville a youthful trapper informed 

 me that on two occasions he had captured this species in traps baited with canary-seed for 

 "Red-heads'" f.^giiitha temporalis), but owing to tiieir vigorous tittacks on him with bill and 

 claws, they had managed to escape. At my request to bring me the next Whip-bird caught, 

 he returned five days later, on the 5th July, 1901, with a not quite adult male which he had 

 trapped in a similar manner near Middle Harbour. It is more probable that it was allured to 

 the trap by seeing the diminutive captive call-bird, than that it entered for the purpose of 

 eating the grain. 



The note of this species, from which it has received its vernacular name, is uttered by the 

 male, and resembles "chuk chuk," followed by a rather prolonged and gradually rising hissing 



