198 BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 



Examples of this species occur in almost every collection 

 sent from Moreton Bay ; I regret to add that it is one of the 

 few birds I had no opportunities of observing in a state of 

 nature, and that little is at present known of its habits and 

 economy, beyond what is stated in the following note which 

 was sent to me by the late F. Strange : — " During the 

 summer months this species feeds exclusively on the wild figs, 

 in company with members of the following genera, Ptilono- 

 rliynclms, both species, Sericuhs, Scythrops, and Carpopliaga, 

 with all of which it seems to be quite familiar, but does not 

 appear to mix with the other species of its own genus, all of 

 which are strictly insectivorous. A female shot on the 24th 

 of November contained a fully developed egg." Judging 

 from the specimens I have examined, I believe that the sexes 

 are alike in plumage. 



Lores black; head, all the upper surface, wing-coverts, 

 throat, and breast grey ; primaries and secondaries black, 

 the former narrowly, and the latter broadly, margined on their 

 external edges with grey ; tail grey at the base, black for 

 the remainder of its length; abdomen, under surface of the 

 shoulder, and under tail-coverts white, crossed by numerous 

 decided narrow bars of black; irides straw-colour; bill and 

 feet black. 



Genus PTEROPODOCYS, Gould. 



To say that this is the terrestrial form of the Australian 

 Campephagiyice will, I think, be consistent with truth; for 

 while all the others affect the branches, and either sally 

 thence to capture their insect food or search for them and 

 their larvae among the leafy tops of trees, the only known 

 member of the present genus looks for them on the ground. 

 Its lengthened tarsi Avould indicate that this was its habit, 

 and in accordance with this inference it is most frequently 

 foimd thereon. The increased length of the tarsi and tail, 

 and the narrow form of the bill, are the most striking of the 



