INSESSORES. 247 



of the Australian continent, and appears to be as numerous 

 at Swan River as it is in New South Wales, where it may be 

 said to be universally distributed ; for I observed it in every 

 part I visited, both among the brushes as well as in the more 

 open portions of the country, in all of which it is apparently 

 a stationary species. It is a bird possessing many peculiar 

 and very singular habits. It not only captures its prey after 

 the usual manner of the other Flycatchers, but it frequently 

 sallies forth into the open glades of the forest and the cleared 

 lands, and procures it by poising itself in the air with a 

 remarkably quick motion of the wings, precisely after the 

 manner of the English Kestrel {Tijmunculus alaudarius), 

 every now and then making sudden perpendicular descents 

 to the ground to capture any insect that may attract its 

 notice. It is while performing these singular movements 

 that it produces the remarkable sound, which has procured 

 for it from the colonists of New South Wales the appellation 

 of " The Grinder." The singular habits of this species appear 

 to have attracted the notice of all who have paid any atten- 

 tion to the natural history of New South Wales : Mr. Caley 

 observes, " It is very curious in its actions. In alighting on 

 the stump of a tree it makes several semicircular motions, 

 spreading out its tail at the time, and making a loud noise 

 somewhat like that caused by a razor-grinder at work. I 

 have seen it frequently alight on the ridge of my house, and 

 perform the same evolutions." To this I may add the fol- 

 lowing account of the actions and manners of this species as 

 observed by Gilbert in Western Australia : — 



" This bird is found in pairs in every variety of situation. 

 Its general note is a loud harsh cry several times repeated ; 

 it also utters a loud clear whistle ; but its most singidar note 

 is that from which it has obtained its colonial name, and 

 which is only emitted while the bird is in a hovering position 

 at a few feet above the ground ; this noise so exactly resem- 

 bles a grinder at work, that a person unaware of its being 



