52 THE USEFUL BIRDS 



CRESTED SHRIKETIT, 



Falcuiieiilus front at us, Lath. 



Fal-knng'hu-his fron-ta Ins. 

 Falco, falcon, and diminutive suffix, cuius; frons, front. 



Falcuncultjs frontatus, Gould, "Birds of Australia," fol., vol. ii., 



pi. 79. 



Geographical Distribution. — Areas 2, 3, 4, 6, 7. 



Key to the Species. — Male. — Under surface yellow ; back olive 

 green ; throat black ; head crested ; secondaries graduated ; cul- 

 men strongly curved downwards. 



Female. — Throat green, and not black as in male. 



The eastern and western sides of the continent have each one 

 species of Shrike-Tit, and Central AustraHa is visited by the 

 eastern bird. It seems to me the birds of the Western State 

 have all travelled from the eastern side— some through the 

 north, others through the south, and many midway. 



The western form of this genus has, in the course of time 

 and through the influence of new conditions, become differen- 

 tiated from the eastern species. It is an active and powerful 

 bird, performing astonishing acrobatic feats amongst the 

 branches it loves to frequent. 



It passes the bulk of its time upon the uppermost branches 

 of eucalypti, say 50 feet in height, and therefore keeps in 

 subjection that portion of coleopterous life which is not 

 sought for by most other birds who frequent the lower trees. 

 It checks the fecundity upon the "sky-raking" branches very 

 much as the small Tits do upon the peripheral parts of the 

 lowermost branches. One scours the tops of the aged 

 eucalypti, the other {Acanthiza lineata) the bottoms of the 

 young eucalypti. 



The bill of the Shrike-Tit is very strong, such an instrument 



