Avifauna of New Caledonia. 513 



devour it ! Only for a moment, however, it rests ; its quick 

 eye has detected something on the ground, so down it swoops, 

 and with huge bounds or hops progresses along at a great 

 rate, threading its way through the underwood with remark- 

 able speed ; indeed the first specimen we shot, being only 

 winged, kept L. L. at the top of his speed for several minutes 

 ere he succeeded in capturing it [cf. Ibis, 1877, p. 358). 



Total length 6" -i"', wing 2" 9'", tail 3" 9'", tarse 10'". Iris 

 dark brown ; bill dark horn, except at the base of the lower 

 mandible, where it is almost white. Legs and feet dark 

 brown. 



29. Rhipidura bulgeri, Layard, Ibis, 1877, p. 361. 



The Lesser Fantail is equally common with its larger 

 cousin, and its habits are much the same. It, however, does 

 not frequent the ground so much, and is more addicted to 

 climbing about thick branches and the trunks of trees, ex- 

 amining the crevices of the bark for spiders and concealed 

 insects : it hangs head downwards while thus occupied, like 

 our European Titmice. Minute as this bird is, the snap of 

 its bill as it seizes its prey may be heard at a considerable 

 distance. Length 5" 6'", wing 2" 6'", tail 3" 3'", tarse 8'". Iris 

 brown; bill dark brown, base of lower mandible white; legs 

 very dark brown, almost black. 



30. Graucalus cinereus, Forster. 



Called " Siffleur " (whistler) by the colonists. Common 

 in timbered country. Usually found in pairs. Feeds on 

 fruit, berries, flowers, Gryllse, INIantidse, and insects of all 

 kinds, especially those frequenting trees, as it never by any 

 chance descends to the ground. We have seen it capture 

 insects in the air, turning and twisting in its chase with much 

 ease and grace, though its ordinary flight is slow and laboured. 

 Within a few yards of where we now write there is a large 

 banian-tree, which is a favourite haunt of these birds ; and we 

 have often watched them diligently hunting the crevices of 

 the bark on the trunk and larger limbs for the Mantidse, 

 which, protected by their mimetic resemblance to knots and 

 excrescences of bark, resort thither for concealment. When 



