Journal of Agriculture. [8 April, 1907 



Dandenong and other ranges within easv distance from Melbourne, also 

 on the Dandenong, Olinda, and other creeks. In fact, in the southern 

 part of Victoria, especially in the mountainous country, it is a fairlv 

 common bird, and lives on all sorts of noxious insects and their laivse ; the 

 native slugs also constitute part of its food. The nest is an open structure, 

 composed of .small twigs, bent round and lined with Cassytha and other 

 wiry plants, also rootlets and bark. It is about 2 inches in depth, and 

 generally placed a few feet from the ground in very thick undergrowth. 

 On the Dandenong Creek nests are often placed between the forks of the tea 

 tree {Leptosfermum), and as the twigs composing the nest resemble those 

 of this tree it requires a ^'ery keen observer to disco^•er it. Two eggs 

 usually constitute a set ; they are of a lieautif ul bluish-white colour, 

 blotched all over with black markings, and, according to ^Ir. A. J. Xorth, 

 usually measure 1.07 x 0.77 inch. In New South Wales the eggs appear 

 to be much darker in colour and larger than those found in Victoria. In 

 this State the breeding season is generally October, November, and Decem- 

 ber; but, according to Mr. A. J. Campl>ell, eggs have been taken in Jul). 

 According to Mr. A. J. North, the coach-whip bird is found in Southern 

 Queensland. New South Wales, and Victoria. The following description 

 is taken from Gould's Birds of Australia: — 



" Ailult Male. — Head and nape black, remainder of upper surface olive- 

 green ; upper wing-coverts like the back ; quills dusky brown, the outer 

 primaries narrowly edged with brown, the remainder, also the secondaries, 

 margined externally with olive-green, increasing in extent towards the inner- 

 most secondaries, w^hich have both webs olive-green ; central tail feathers 

 olive-green, the remainder blackish-brown, washed with olive-igreen on 

 their outer webs, but less distinctly on the three outermost feathers on either 

 side, which are tipped with white; lores, feathers below the eye, ear-co\erts, 

 and sides of the neck black; cheeks and sides of the throat white; chin, 

 centre oi. the throat, and breast, black ; some of the feathers on the throat 

 slightly edged with white, and those on the centre of the breast and abdo- 

 men broadly tipped with white, forming a conspicuous patch ; sides of the 

 body and abdomen ashy-brown, slightly washed with olive-green ; under 

 tail coverts dull olive-green ; bill black ; legs and feet dark reddish-brown. 

 Total length in the flesh 10.75 inches, wing 3.7, tail 5.75, bill 0.8, tarsus 

 1.25. 



"Adult Female. — Similar plumage to the male." 



^Ir. A. J. North, in his ^■aluable work, Nests and Eggs of Birds found 

 breeding in Australia and Tasmania, 'has the following interesting note 

 regarding the coach-whip bird : — " The note of this species, from which 

 it has received its vernacular name, is uttered by the male, and resembles 

 ' chuk chuk,' followed by a rather prolonged and gradually rising hissing 

 Avhistle, terminating in a loud, clear, and vigorous ' w^h — p,' the female 

 answering immediately with a 'chuk chuk," which would lead one to 

 imagine that the response was part of her consort's note. Occasionally it 

 is varied with a low squeaking or whining note, common to both .sexes. 

 In autumn the male usually utters only the beginning of his call, and does 

 not conclude with the whip-like sound." 



This is a bird which should be encouraged where\er seen, as it ranks 

 amongst the most valuable, for its size, of our insert-destrovinc birds. 



