34 



PACHYCEPHALIN.E. 



In Western Australia, Gilbert found a nest with young as early as the middle of August, 

 but from the authorities quoted, September to the end of November apparently constitutes the 

 usual breeding season in the south-eastern States. 



Pachycephala olivacea. 



OLIVACKOUS THICKHEAD. 

 Pachycephala olivacea. Vig. and Horsf., Trans. Linn. Soc, Vol. XV., p. 241 (1820); Gould, Bds. 

 Austr. fol.. Vol. II., pi. 73 (1848); id., Handbk. Bds. Austr., Vol. I., p. 218 (1865); Gadow, 

 Cat. Bds. Brit. Mus., Vol. VIII., p. 212 (1883); Sharpe, Hand-1. Bds., Vol. IV., p. 309 (1903). 

 Adult male — General colour above dull olivaceous, slightly brigliter on the rump and upper 

 tail-coverts ; upper wing-coverts like the back, the greater series dark greyish, excejit on the margins of 

 their outer webs; quills dark greyish-broivn, margined externally with olive; the apical portion of the 

 outer wehs of the outermost primaries narrowly edged with dull ashy-ichite ; fail-feathers duskybroivn 

 with a strong olivacecus ivash, tvhich is more distinct on their outer webs; head and ear-coverls dark- 

 grey ; chin and throat ivhite with dark grey bases to the feathers, and most of them having narrow 

 blackish-grey tips; across the chest a tcell defined grey band connecting with tlie slightly darker grey 

 feathers at the sides of the neck; remainder of the under surface fidvous-broini tvashed with olive on 

 the sides of the breast and flanks; tinder tail-coverts fulvous-brown with an ochreous wash; bill dark 

 brown; legs and feet brown ; " iris dull red" — (Atkinson). Total length in the flesh 8 inches, wing 

 8-85, tail 3-8, bill 1-52, tarsus 1-18. 



Adult female — Similar in plumage to the male, but u-ithont any grey band on the chest, irhich 

 is fulvous brown like the breast ; the feathers of the head have an olivebrown wash. 



Distribution — Tasmania, some of the larger islands of Bass Strait, \'ictoria. and New South 

 Wales. 



f |(^HE type oi Pachycephala olivacea described by Vigors and Horsfield, according to Dr. H. 

 J- Gadow in the "Catalogue of Birds in the British Museum,"* is an adult male, and was 

 obtained in Tasmania. The description there given agrees with Gould's figure of this species 

 in the " Birds of Australia " and with several adult specimens received in the flesh from Mr. 

 E. D. Atkinson of Waratah, Tasmania. There are two adult males in the Australian Museum 

 collection, one obtained by Mr. G. Masters at the Clyde River, Illawarra District, New South 

 Wales, 20th August, 1864, the other by Mr. J. A. Thorpe at Cambewarra Mountain in the same 

 district, in November, 1881. Both specimens have a well defined grey collar across the chest 

 connecting with the slightly darker grey feathers on the sides of the neck. On comparing them 

 with the original description and Gould's figures, I concluded that it was a continental form of 

 P. olivacea. Since then I have received a similarly marked adult male on loan from the Trustees 

 of the South Australian Museum, obtained near Hobart, and one from Mr. Atkinson with a 

 fainter indication of the grey collar on the chest. It is also slightly visible in a young bird, 

 presumably a male, obtained in Gippsland. Apparently this grey band on the chest is a 

 distinguishing character of the adult male. Both the Hobart and Gippsland specimens have a 

 distinct greenish olive wash to the feathers next the dark grey feathers on the hind-neck. 



In addition to the above mentioned localities in New South Wales, Mr. Robert Grant 

 obtained specimens at Lithgow on the Blue Mountains, and Mr. L. Harrison at Mount Irvine. 

 There are also eggs in the collection taken in the New England District. 



An apparently adult female, judging by the measurements, has the greater wing-co\-erts and 

 innermost secondaries margined with dull olive-chestnut. Wing 3-9 inches. Chestnut margins 

 to the upper wing-coverts and fiuills are an indication of youth in most of the other Australian 

 species of this genus. 



• Cat Bds. Brit. Mus , Vol. VIII., p. 212 (1885). 



