OF SOUTHERN AUSTRALIA. 75 



and with a very slight motion of the wings. It is during this 

 kind of flight that it utters the harsh note above mentioned, 

 the grinding note being only emitted during the graceful 

 hovering motion. The object of this appears to be to attract 

 the notice of the insects beneatli, for it invariably terminates 

 i)\ the bird descending to the ground, picking up something, 

 flying into a tree close by, and uttering its shrill and distinct 

 whistle." 



Nest. — In many respects it is like that of the last described 

 {R. tricolor), differing principally in so far as less cobweb is 

 used to encircle it. Cup-like and I'oundecl ; diameter, 2.5 

 inches. 



Eggs. — Clutch, two to three eggs; dull white, marked by 

 spots of reddish and hlac drab, the latter as if beneath the 

 surface ; much bulged in appearance. Ijength, 0.85 inch ; 

 breadth, 0.7 inch. 



BROWN FLY-CATCHER 



(Stump-bird, Peter-Peter), 



Ulicrteca fasciiiaiis Lath. 



Ml-kre'kd fas'i-yiaiis. 

 Mikros, small ; oikos, house ; fascino, to charm. 

 MicRCECA MACBOPTERA, Gould, " Birds of Austraha," fol., vol. ii., pi. 93. 

 Geographical Distribution". — Areas 2, 3, 4, 0, 7. 



Key to the Species. — General appearance brown; abdomen and 

 under tail coverts white ; outer tail feathers entirely pure white ; 

 axillaries light brown ; wings very long (3^ inches) ; distance 

 between wing and tip of tail not exceeding length of tarsus ; 

 bristles at rictus. 



If you watch this bird for a few minutes you will unmistak- 

 ably say it is a fly-catcher, and you are not likely to confuse 



