f^owr hitrrcf^f'mq Birds. 200 



" iiiiked, iuid of ;i l)l;i<-kisli liin"ri : lliroiit ami all tlio under surface white; 



"l)ack. win?, and tail hrowii ; liill and foet blackish hrown. Total length 



•■ W, inches : hill 1;! : wint,' ">,', ; tail \\: tarsi 1", (C uih/'x IVnuh of Aus^tralin 



••Vol. 1.)." 



A f;iirly oxtondod ;i('(!u;i iiif;mro with fhi'^ spooios, en- 

 ;il>h^s i)i(>, aftiM' i'(\uli)iir (louM's acooimt of th(^ Common Friar 

 P.ifd, fl);ni which ho states fhci'o aia^ f(n\' hii'ds morn familiarly 

 known i)i N-S. A^^■^los, U^ draw the conoliisioti that tho Iiabits 

 and oro!iomy of lh(^ Silv(M-y rrownod and Common Friar Birds 

 must lie vory similar. Oould duhs thom a remarkable g-enus, 

 nnd T am assui'od that all who ci-ct an opportunity of viowin.g' 

 those birds in tlio Wes;torn Aviary at the Zoo. will ag'ree with 

 him: as T do affi>r havin.c: thom under observation in one of my 

 bird-i-oom enclosures, and also in tho aviary. 



Vernacular names: The bare skin areas of the head and 

 n'^ck have secured for the ^enus the names of " Friar Bird," 

 "Monk," "Leather Head," Avhile yet another very appropriate 

 one suggests itself to me, viz., Vulture -headed Honey-eater. 

 As regards description, that given by Gould is quite 

 accurate, save that I should describe the throat and under 

 surface as hoary and not white. 



In a state of nature they frequent the tops of very 

 lofty trees, their flight i-^ undu'ating and powerful; they are 

 very agile among the branches and can assume almost any 

 position with ease. 



" Its food consists of the pollen of the KHCiihn>li, insects, and wild fips 



" and herri(>s. {aovhV!^ Binh of A iiHfraVm, Vol. 1 .)." 



In the aviary its undulating and powerful flight, 

 and clinging attitudes are both Tit- and Parrot-like, this strikes 

 oiK^ at once: no position seems to come amiss to it, whether on 

 tho upi^oi'oi' underside of perch or branch or clinging with ooo or 

 both feet. The Friar-Bird shows to great advantage when 

 catching moalwoimis on tho wing, the wonderful swallow-like 

 flight is then soon to gi-oat advantage, as they rise and fall 

 or wheel to and fro to catcli what has been tlirown up, and 

 so adept are they, that it is quite an exception for them to 

 miss their prey. 



The nest of the Si' verv -crowned does not yet appear to 

 have been described or T have overlooked it, but that of the 

 Oommcn Friar Gould describes as rudely constructed, cup- 

 shaped and of large size; composed outwardly of string bark 



