208 BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 



and Swan River, I find that they do not present any material 

 differences ; the apical half of the tail is blackish brown in 

 all, and the colouring of the under surface of the richest 

 yellow. It is rather abundantly dispersed over the forests 

 of Eucalypti and the belts of Acacice, among the flowering 

 branches of which latter trees the male displays himself to the 

 greatest advantage, and shows off his rich yellow breast as if 

 desirous of outvieing the beautiful blossoms with which he is 

 surrounded. 



The stomach is very muscular, and the principal food 

 consists of insects of various genera, which are sought for 

 and captured both among the flowers and leaves as well as 

 on the ground. 



It is generally met with in pairs, and 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 single note, seven or eight times 

 repeated, and terminating with a sharp higher note much 

 resembling the smack of a whip. 



Gilbert mentions that it is sparingly dispersed throughout 

 the Swan River colony, but is more abundant in the best- 

 watered districts, such as Perth and Freemantle. 



I did not succeed in finding the nest of this species, but 

 was informed that it breeds in September and October, and 

 lays three or four eggs, ten and a half lines long by eight 

 lines broad, with a ground-colour of brownish-buff, sparingly 

 streaked and spotted with reddish brown and bluish grey, 

 the latter colour appearing as if beneath the surface of the 

 shell. 



The male has the crown of the head, lores, line beneath 

 the eye, ear-coverts, and a crescent-shaped mark from the 

 latter across the breast deep black ; throat, within the black, 

 white ; back of the neck, a narrow line down each side of the 

 chest behind the black crescent, and all the under surface 

 gamboge yellow ; back and upper tail-coverts yellowish oHve ; 



