INSESSORES. 547 



of an apple- {Angopliord) or gum-tree without the least 

 regard to secresy, frequently within a few feet of the ground. 

 So numerous were they breeding in the Apple-tree Flats near 

 Aberdeen and Yarrundi, on the Upper Hunter, that they 

 might almost be termed gregarious. The eggs are generally 

 three in number, of a pale salmon-colour with minute spots of 

 a darker tint, one inch and five lines long by eleven lines 

 broad. 



There is no observable difference in the plumage of the 

 sexes, but the female is somewhat smaller in size. 



The adults have the bill and head dull ink-black ; all the 

 upper surface, wings, and tail greyish brown, the feathers of 

 the latter tipped with white ; chin and lanceolate feathers on 

 the chest silvery white, with a fine line of brown down the 

 centre ; remainder of the under surface brownish grey ; eye 

 red, fading immediately after death to brown and sometimes 

 to greyish hazel ; feet lead- colour. 



The young, although having the same general colouring as 

 the adult, have the head less denuded of feathers, and a mere 

 rudiment of the knob on the bill ; the feathers on the breast 

 are also less lanceolate in form, and those on the sides of the 

 chest are margined with yellow ; eye dark brown, surrounded 

 with short brown feathers lengthening into a tuft at the back 

 of the head ; feet much more blue than in adults. 



Sp. 335. TROPIDORHYNCHUS BUCEROIDES. 

 Helmeted Friar Bird. 



PhiJedon bucerdides, Swains. Anim. in Menag., p. 325. 

 Tropidorhijnchus hucero'ides, Gray and Mitch. Geu. of Birds, vol. i. 

 p. 125, Tropidorhynchus, sp. 2. 



Tropidorhynchus buceroides, Gould, Birds of Australia, foL, Sup- 

 plement, pi. 



This bird may be regarded as the representative on the north 

 coast of Tropidorynchis corniculatus of the southern part of 



,2 N 2 



