coo BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 



broad band of blackish brown ; tail brown, all but the two 

 centre feathers crossed by a broad band of blackish brown ; 

 all the under surface greyish brown, each feather of the chest 

 and abdomen having a stripe of dull white, bounded on either 

 side with black, running down the centre ; under tail-coverts 

 reddish buff, crossed by irregular bars of black ; irides, bill, 

 and feet blackish brown. 



Little difference is observable either in the colour or size of 

 the sexes ; the female may, nevertheless, be at once distin- 

 guished from the male by the spots at the base of the throat 

 being rufous instead of blackish brown as in the male. 



Sp. 3G7. CLIMACTERIS RUFA, Gould. 



Rufous Tree-Creeper. 



Climacteris rvfa, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc, part viii. p. 149. 

 Jin-nee, Aborigiues of the mountain districts of Western Australia. 



Climacteris rufa, Gould, Birds of Australia, foL, vol. iv. pi. 94. 



In its robust form and general contour this species closely 

 i-esembles the Climacteris scandens, but from which it is readily 

 distinguished by the rufous colouring of its plumage. 



It is a common bird at Swan River, where Gilbert states 

 it is most abundant in the gum forests abounding with 

 the white ant : it ascends the smooth bark of the Eucul^pti, 

 and traverses round the larger branches with the greatest 

 facility, feeding, like the other members of the genus, upon 

 insects of various kinds ; but is frequently to be seen on 

 the ground, searching for ants and their larvae, and in this 

 situation presents a most grotesque appearance, from its 

 waddling gait. 



Its note is a single piercing cry, uttered more rapidly and 

 loudly when the bird is disturbed, and having a very singular 

 and striking effect amidst the silence and solitude of the 

 forest. 



