Ttite vic'roRiAiir IfATtftALis*. l43 



NOTES ON THE BIRD FAUNA OF THE BOX HILL 

 DISTRICT. 



By Robert Hall. 



(Read before Field Naturalists' Club of Victoria, 8th July, \%^o.J 

 f Concluded, J 



31. Frontal Shrike Tit {Falcunculus frontatus, Lath.) 



The uncommonness lies more with the nest than its owner. 

 There always is a difficulty in the procuration of it. First, you 

 must find it ; then you are to secure it. Two nests, taken in 

 Peppermint Gums {E. amygdalinu) some forty feet from the 

 ground, in the consecutive years 1893-4, and in the same paddock, 

 were obtained by a young member of the Surrey Hills Boys' Field 

 Club, and I am indebted to him for both finds, each containing 

 three eggs, and taken on 4th December, 1894 and same month 

 of 1893. Had not the sitting bird continued to sing while on 

 the nest it would not have been observed. 



32. White-shafted Fantail, W. {Rhipidura albiscapa, Gould). 

 The district is somewhat favoured with representatives of the 



family Muscicapidse, in having five species. This member cer- 

 tainly is most friendly ; why, it will even attempt to alight on the 

 gun while you are attempting to procure it or other kind. A 

 straight line in flight is seldom followed for any distance, rather 

 a wavy nature, and every moment forming flight angles. The 

 call is a single " tinny " note at times, but at others it will break 

 into an exquisite melody of varied notes. 



15th October is the date of my memoranda when the majority 

 of nests are being finished and eggs deposited, continuing on to 

 December or early January. 



A nest of three nearly fledged young, with two inside absorbing 

 the whole interior, and the third on top, is a novel sight. Fly- 

 catchers' nests are open and small. 



33. Rufcus-fronted Fantail {R. rufifrons, Lath.)* 



The home of this flycatcher is more in the mountains adjoin- 

 ing the " Basin," at Bayswater, than among the timber of the 

 flats below. However, a nest was taken the season previous to last 

 near Ringwood in a low position overhanging the creek, as the 

 majority are placed. 



34. Black Fantail, W. {Sauloprocta motacilloides, V. and H.) 

 The habits of this bird are too well known to need even a 



mention. Nest positions require seeking — one will build on dead 

 timber three feet from the ground, another fourteen feet from the 

 earth on living timber, a third a few inches from and overhanging 

 a quickly flowing river, while others will build in lignum almost 



