256 BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 



fern, and blossoms of many other kinds of plants ; and the 

 outsides of all are decorated with small pieces of lichen stuck 

 on without any degree of regularity ; these different materials 

 are all felted together with cobwebs. The form of the nest 

 appears to depend upon the nature of the site upon which it 

 is built : if placed on a level part of the branch, the nest is 

 large and high ; if in a fork, then it is a more shallow 

 structure ; in each case the opening is as perfect a circle as 

 the nature of the materials will admit : the height varies from 

 two inches to three inches and a quarter, the average breadth 

 of the opening is about one inch and three-quarters, and the 

 depth one inch. The eggs are generally three in number, 

 somewhat round in form, and of a greenish white spotted and 

 blotched all over with umber brown, yellowish brown, and 

 obscure markings of purplish grey ; the medium length is nine 

 lines, and breadth seven lines. 



The note is a loud piping whistle frequently repeated. 



The male has the lores deep velvety black ; all the upper 

 surface, wings, tail, and breast of a rich deep blackish green 

 with a metallic lustre ; primaries deep brown ; under surface 

 of the shoulder, abdomen, and under tail-coverts white ; bill 

 lead-colour at the base, passing into black at the tip ; irides 

 and feet black. 



The female differs considerably from the male — the upper 

 surface being much less brilliant, and the throat and breast of 

 a rich rusty red — a style of colouring which is also characteristic 

 of the young males during the first autumn of their existence. 



Sp. 147. MYIAGRA LATIROSTRIS, Gould. 



Broad-billed Flycatcher. 

 My'iagra latirostris, Gould in Pi'oc. of Zool. Soc, part viii. p. 172. 



Myiagra latirostris, Gould, Birds of Australia, fol., vol. ii. pi. 92. 

 This species was procured on the north coast by Mr. Dring, 



