242 BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 



outward difference consists in tlie somewhat smaller size of 

 the female. 



Forehead rusty red, continuing over the eye ; crown of the 

 head, back of the neck, upper part of the back, and wings 

 olive-brown ; lower part of the back, tail-coverts, and the 

 basal portions of the tail rusty red ; remainder of the tail 

 blackish brown, obscurely tipped with light grey ; the shafts 

 of the tail-feathers, for nearly half their length from the base, 

 light rusty red ; throat and centre of the abdomen white ; 

 ear-coverts dark brow^n ; chest black, the feathers of the 

 lower part edged with white ; flanks and under tail-coverts 

 'light fawn-colour ; eyes, bill, and feet brown. 



Sp. 137. RHIPIDURA DRYAS, Gould. 



Wood Elycatcher. 



Rhipidura dryas, Gould, Bii'ds of Australia, fol., vol. i. Introd., 

 p. xxxix. 



This bird differs from H. rujifrons in being of a smaller 

 size, in its dark-grey tail-feathers being more largely tipped 

 with white, and merely fringed with rufous at the base only, 

 in the breast being white, crossed by a distinct band of black, 

 and devoid of the dark spotted markings seen on the chest of 

 its ally. 



Total length 5f inches ; wing 2f ; tail 3^ ; tarsi f . 



The It. dryas inhabits the north-western portion of Austra- 

 lia, where it appears to be as common as the M. rujifrons is in 

 the south-eastern. I have several specimens, all of which bear 

 [\ general resemblance to each other. 



Sp. 138. RHIPIDURA ISURA, Gould. 



Northern Fantail. 

 Rhipidura isiira, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc, part viii. p. 174. 



Rhipidura isura, Gould, Birds of Australia, fol., vol. ii. pi. 85. 

 This species is an inhabitant of the north and north-west 



