The Uliitc-cJicekcd Houcysuckcr. 13 



Scricca ranges over A'ictoria, New South Wales and 

 Queensland. 



It is a beautiful and striking- species, of fine graceful 

 form, with a clear double whistling- note. The i)rincii)al 

 colouration is dark blackish-brown, strikingly pied with white; 

 wing's and tail variegated with yellow; forhead whiic; " the 

 development of the feathers of the cheek forms a broad fan-like 

 sliield on eacli side of tiie throat " Le Souef. The colour 

 pattern is clearly indicated in the drawing. 



( )f tlic Mflil'liag'uiac 1 have only kept two of the larg'er 

 species, viz: Sihery-crowned iM'iar Birds, and Sombre Miner. 

 The other species I have observed at the Zoo. including the 

 snl)iect of this paper, and also in the aviary of our meml)er Capt. 

 \V. A. Bainbridge. who personally imported several species just 

 piior to the World-War. Their deportment in the aviary is 

 delightful, a treat to watch, very similar to the graphic descrip- 

 tion of them in their native wilds by Mr. Le Souef. ([noted 

 earlier in this paper. 



They must 1)e brouglit indoors for the winter luonths. or 

 kcpl in an a\'iary w liere they can be shut into a snug inner house 

 during winter's nights or severe periods. '^llieir diet should 

 be insectile mixture, ripe fruit, milk-so]). and live insects — they 

 are also very fond of the syrup-sop given to Sunbirds. as are 

 all this family. 



Before closing- these roug"h notes I may add that all tlie 

 Mclipliagidac. including- the Friar Birds (as large as a Stock 

 Dove, but more slender) catch mealworms, when these are 

 thrown in the air. on the wing as gracefullv as swallows. 



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