542 BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 



evincing a considerable degree of pugnacity, fearlessly attacking 

 and driving away all other birds from the part of the tree on 

 which it is feeding. During the months of spring and 

 summer the male perches on some elevated branch and 

 screams forth its harsh and peculiar notes, which have not 

 unaptly been said to resemble a person in the act of vomiting, 

 whence the native name of Goo-gwar-ruch . While thus 

 employed it frequently jerks up its tail, throws back its head, 

 and distends its throat, as if great exertion was required to 

 force out these harsh and guttural sounds. 



The breeding-season commences in September and continues 

 during the three following months. The nest, which is round, 

 open, and rather small in size, is generally placed in the fork 

 of a small branch often within a few feet of the ground, and 

 is formed of fine twigs and lined with fibrous roots. 



The eggs are two and sometimes three in number, of a 

 beautiful salmon-colour, strongly blotched at the larger end, 

 and here and there over the remainder of the surface with deep 

 chestnut-brown ; thirteen lines long by nine lines broad. 



In size this bird is about equal to the following, A. lunulaia. 



The sexes are only to be distinguished from each other by 

 the smaller size of the female ; and the young from the nest 

 have all the marks of the adult, but much less apparent. 



All the upper surface dark brown, each feather marked 

 down the centre with a minute line of white; primaries 

 chestnut-brown on the inner webs for three parts of their 

 length from the base ; outer webs and remainder of the inner 

 brown, tipped with white ; secondaries, wings, and tail- 

 coverts greyish brown, tipped with white ; tail brown, tinged 

 with olive, and all the feathers tipped with white ; feathers of 

 the throat and chest blackish brown at the base and white at 

 the tip ; feathers of the under surface the same as the upper, 

 but with the white mark broader and more conspicuous ; bill 

 black ; irides grey ; feet vinous brown. 



