42 INSECTIVOROUS BIRDS 



Eggs. — Generally four to a sitting, sometimes three, 

 Ground colour greenish-grey, with lilac-brown spots, especi- 

 ally around the greatest diameter of the breadth. Length, 

 0-6 inch; breadth, 05 inch. 



HOODED ROBIN 



(Black and White Robin), 



Petroeca bicolor, Vig. and Hors 



Pet-re-ka h'lkul-or. 



Petros, a rock ; oihos, a home ; hi, two ; colvr, colour. 



Petroica bicolor, Gould, " Birds of Australia," fol., vol. iii., pi. 7. 



Geographical Distribution. — Areas 3, 4, 6, 9. 



Key to the Species. — Under surface white ; insertion of wing 

 white ; base of tail white. Male has a black throat, the female 

 an ashy one. Bill about equal in height and breadth at the 

 nostrils. 



Young — Dark broMii above, lighter below ; wings and tail 

 like female. 



Very few people know the relationship of this species, and 

 to consider it as equal with a " red-breast " seems just 

 beyond reason. But it is not so, because, if you compare 

 the two, the difference is simply a matter of colour. The 

 structure is very much the same in each case. The con- 

 struction of head and bill, disposition of tail and wing 

 feathers, and style of legs and feet all help to harmonize. 

 The old name of " Black and White Nymph of the Woods " 

 {e.g., Melaiiodryas bicolor) exactly suited the bird as far as 

 appearances go. It is a denizen of the light timber, and 

 never ventures as a rule to leave the covert suited to its 

 nature. We cannot always trust to outward appearances 



