INSESSORES. 347 



greyish white ; hne over the eye and all the under surface 

 greyish white, each feather of the latter with a line of black 

 down the centre, except on the middle of the abdomen ; bill 

 dark brown ; irides buffy white ; legs flesh-brown. 



Sp. 206. HYLACOLA CAUTA, Gould. 



Cautious Hylacola. 

 Hylacola cauta, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc, part x. p. 135. 



Hylacola cauta, Gould, Birds of Australia, foL, voL iii. pi. 40. 



The only locality in which I have seen this species is the 

 great scrub clothing the banks of the river Murray in South 

 Australia, where it was not uncommon, but so excessively 

 shy that I obtained but a single specimen during my stay in 

 the district. Its timidity being so great, and its natural 

 habitat the more dense parts of the scrub, it is a species 

 which must for a long time be exceedingly scarce in our 

 collections. 



With the exception of its being even more shy, its whole 

 habits and economy appeared to be very similar to those of 

 the preceding species {H. pyrrhopygid). It carries its tail 

 perfectly erect, and hops over the ground and threads the 

 bushes with the greatest ease, generally keeping among the 

 more dense parts of the low bushes, and only exposing itself 

 on the outermost twigs when desirous of pouring forth its song, 

 which is sweet and harmonious. 



In size the H. cauta is rather less than the H. pyrrhopyyia, 

 has the markings of the under surface much bolder, and the 

 chestnut-coloured mark on the rump of a much deeper tint. 



Line from the base of the upper mandible along the side of 

 the face and over the eye white ; above this a narrow line of 

 black ; crown of the head and all the upper surface brown ; 

 upper and under tail-covcrts bright chestnut; wing-coverts 

 brown, edged with brownish white; primaries brown, with 



