INSESSORES. 151 



white, at once distinguishes it from every other species, while 

 the strong contrast of these colours renders it a conspicuous 

 object among the trees. 



In size and structure it more nearly resembles the Artamus 

 superciliosus than any other, and the two species form beauti- 

 ful analogues of each other, one being in all probability con- 

 fined to the eastern portion of the country, and the other to 

 the western. 



" I have only met," says Gilbert, " with this species in the 

 York and Toodyay districts. It is very like Artamus sordidus 

 in its habits, but is more shy and retired, never being seen 

 but in the most secluded parts of the bush. It is merely a 

 summer visitant here, generally making its appearance in the 

 latter part of October, and immediately commencing the task 

 of incubation. Its voice very much resembles the chirping 

 of the English Sparrow. 



" Its nest is placed in the upright fork of a dead tree, or in 

 the hollow part of the stump of a grass-tree ; it is neither so 

 well nor so neatly formed as those of the other species of the 

 group, being a frail structure externally composed of a very 

 few extremely small twigs, above which is a layer of fine dried 

 grasses. The eggs also differ as remarkably as the nest, their 

 ground-colour being light greenish grey, dashed and speckled 

 with hair-brown principally at the larger end, and slightly 

 spotted with grey, appearing as if beneath the sm'face of the 

 shell ; they are ten and a half lines long by eight and a half 

 lines broad. I found two nests in a York Gum Forest, about 

 five miles to the east of the Avon River ; each of these con- 

 tained two eggs, which I believe is the usual number. Mr. 

 Angas informs me that in South Australia this bird makes 

 no nest, but places the eggs on a few bent stalks of grass in 

 the bend of a small branch. 



" Its food consists of insects generally and their larvae." 



The male has the face, ear-coverts, and throat jet-black, 

 bounded below with a narrow line of white ; crown of the 



