260 BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 



horizontal branch, whereby it is rendered so nearly invisible 

 from beneath, that it easily escapes detection from all but the 

 scrutinizing eye of the aboriginal native. The eggs are 

 generally two in number, of a pale greenish blue, strongly 

 marked with dashes of chestnut-brown and indistinct blotches 

 of grey ; they are eight and a half lines long by five and a 

 half lines broad. 



The sexes are alike in colour ; the young differs from the 

 adult in being much paler, and in being spotted with white 

 on the head and back, and with brown on the breast. 



The adult has all the upper surface and wings pale brown ; 

 wing-coverts slightly tipped with white, and a w^ash of white 

 on the margins of the tertiaries and tips of the upper tail- 

 coverts ; tail dark brown, the external feather white, and the 

 next on each side with a large spot of white on the inner 

 web at the tip ; all the under surface pale brownish white, 

 fading into nearly pure white on the chin and abdomen ; bill, 

 irides, and feet brown. 



Sp. 150. MICRCECA ASSIMILIS, Gould. 



Allied Flycateher. 

 Microeca assimilis, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc, part viii. p. 172. 



Mlcroeca assimilis, Gould, Birds of Australia, foL, vol. i. Introd. 

 p. xl. 



This species inhabits Western Australia, and is nearly 

 allied to the Micrceca fascinans, from which it only differs in 

 being much less in size, and in having the base of the outer 

 tail-feather brown instead of white. 



All the upper surface brown ; primaries dark brown ; tail 

 brownish black; the tips and the terminal half of the ex- 

 ternal margins of the two outer feathers white; the three 

 next on each side also tipped with white, the extent of the 

 white becoming less upon each feather as they approach the 

 centre of the tail ; the four middle feathers without the white 



