224 BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 



white, becoming almost pure white on the vent and under 

 tail-coverts ; thighs greyish brown ; l)ill black ; feet blackish 

 brown. 



Sp. 126. COLLURICINLA SELBII, Jardine. 

 Selby's Shrike-Thrush. 



Colluricincla Selbii, Jar A. in Jard. and Selby's 111. Orn., vol. i. note to 



text of pi. 71. 



rectirostris, Jard. in Jard. and Selby's 111. Orn., vol. iv. pi. xxxi. 



strigata, Swains. Anim. in Menag., &c., p. 283, female or young 



male. 

 Whistling Dick of the Colonists of Tasmania. 



Colluricincla Selbii, Gould, Birds of Australia, fol., vol. ii. pi. 77. 



The Colluricincla Selbii is a native of, and a permanent 

 resident in, Tasmania and Flinders Island, over all parts of 

 which it is very generally, but nowhere very abundantly, dis- 

 tributed ; it appears to give a decided preference to the thick 

 woods, wherein its presence may always be detected by its 

 loud, clear, liquid, and melodious whistle. It does not appear 

 to confine itself to any particular part of the forest ; for it may 

 sometimes be observed on the low scrub near the ground, and 

 at others on the topmost branches of the highest trees. It is 

 distinguished from all the other members of the genus by the 

 greater length of the bill. 



It feeds on caterpillars and insects of various kinds, which 

 it often procures by tearing off the bark from the branches of 

 the trees in the most dexterous manner with its powerful bill, 

 and while thus employed frequently pours forth its remarkable 

 note. In disposition it is lively and animated, confident and 

 fearless, and might doubtless be easily tamed, when it would 

 become a most interesting bird for the aviary. 



The nest, although composed of coarse materials, is a re- 

 markably neat structure, round )^ rather deep, and cup-shaped, 

 outwardly formed of strips of the rind of the stringy- bark 

 tree and lined with a few grasses ; it is about five inches in 



