AMPELID.E. 1 79 



the foliage of tlie upper part of lofty trees in thick 

 forests, or on shrubs. Their food consists of berries 

 and of the larvae of insects. The nest is formed on 

 the small horizontal branches of large trees or in 

 bushes, and is composed of interwoven twigs or 

 fibrous roots. The egg's are three or more in 

 number. Some species excavate a hole just large 

 enough to admit the passage of their body, extending 

 two or three feet in a nearly horizontal direction : 

 at the end of this tunnel a chamber is formed, 

 wherein the nest is constructed. In such cases, the 

 nest itself is a beautiful structure, formed of strips 

 of the inner bark of Eucalypti, and lined with 

 finer fibres of the same or similar material. 



As an example of the group we select — 



The Yellow-breasted Thick-head {Pachycephala gut- 

 turcdis), an inhabitant of South Australia. " This species 

 is rather abundantly dispersed over the forests of Eu- 

 calypti and the belts of Acacia, among the flowering 

 branches of which the male displays himself to the 

 greatest advantage, and shows off his rich yellow breast, 

 as if desirous of outvying the beautiful blossoms with 

 which he is surrounded. Its principal food consists of 

 insects of various genera, which are sought for and 

 captured among the flowers and leaves as well as on the 

 ground. It is generally met with in j^airs, but the males 

 are more shy than the females. It flies in short and 

 sudden starts, and seldom mounts far above the tops of 

 the trees. The voice of the male is a suigle note seven 

 or eight times repeated, and terminating with a sharp 

 higher note, much resembling the smack of a whip. That 

 )f the female is very different, bemg a series of runnhig 

 aalf-notes, forming a rather plaintive tune." — Gould. 



The typical form is — 



The Red-breasted Thick-head {Fteruthius rvfiverdris). 



