BIRDS OF TASMANIA. 25 



Gould's "Birds of Australia" (foL, vol. iii., pi. 6), the female is 

 depicted with a reddish breast, and in the letter-press accompany- 

 ing the plate it is described as having a reddish under surface. 

 This phase of plumage in the female is quite unknown to me. 



*PINK-BEEASTED ROBIN 



{Petrccca rhodinogastra, Drapier). 



Male. — Whole of the upper surface slaty-white; white spot on 

 forehead small ; sides of the head and throat slaty-black ; chest and 

 abdomen rose-pink; under tail coverts white; bill black; legs and 

 feet blackish-brown. Dimensions in mm. : — Length, 130; bill, 10; 

 wing, 63; tail, 51; tarsus, 18. 



Female. — Upper surface oHve-brown; white spot on forehead 

 small; under surface pale brown, except centre of abdomen, which 

 is buffy-white. 



Nest. — Cup-shaped; constructed of fine moss, on to which are 

 stuck pieces of lichen and spider's web; inside lining either the 

 hair-hke substance from the bases of man-fern fronds or hair. It 

 is usually placed in the forked branches of a low tree in a moist 

 gully or thick scrub. 



Eggs. — Clutch three usually, four sometimes; stout oval in 

 shape, with one end somewhat sharply pointed; texture of shell 

 fine and surface fairly glossy; colour greenish-white, finely spotted 

 with umber and grey ; the majority of the spots are on the stouter 

 end, where they foi'm a band. Dimensions in mm. of a clutch : — 

 (1) 19 X 14, (2) 18 X 13.75, (3) 19 x 13.75. 



Breeding Season. — October to December. 



Geographical Distribution. — Tasmania, King and several of the 

 other large islands in Bass Strait, Victoria, and South Australia. 



Observations. — This Eobin is the rarest of the four species 

 found in Tasmania. In some parts of the island it is called the 

 " Solitary" Robin. The class of country most favoured by this 

 species is among the myrtle forests found in different parts. Round 

 Magnet and Waratah, on the West Coast, it is more plentiful than 

 anywhere else I know of. It is also sparsely distributed on the 

 East, North, North-East, and North-West Coasts. Occasionally a 

 pair is to be seen in the bush round Launceston; also a few in the 

 hilly country between Launceston and Scottsdale. Its note is a 

 low, mournful kind of whistle, not to be confused with that of 

 any of the other Robins. 



*DUSKY ROBIN 



(Petrceca vittata, Quoy and Gaim.) 



Male. — Upper surface brown tinged with olive; greater wing 

 coverts blackish-brown tipped with white; quills crossed by a dull 

 white band, except outer primaries ; tail brown, three outer feathers 



