118 1NSECTIV0R0US*BIRDS 



Gilbert, "connected with this bird is that it is a perfect 

 ventiiloquist. At first its note commences in so low a tone 

 that it sounds as if at a considerable distance, and then 

 gradually increases in volume till it appears over the head 

 of the wondering hearer, the bird that utters it being all 

 the while on the dead part of a tree perhaps not more than 

 a few yards distant, its motionless attitude rendering its 

 discovery very difficult. It has two kinds of song, the 

 most usual of which is a running succession of notes, or 

 two notes repeated together rather slowly, followed by a 

 1 epetition, three times, rather quickly, the last note resem- 

 bling the sound of a bell from its ringing tone. The other 

 song is nearly the same, only that it concludes with a 

 sudden and peculiar fall of two notes." The meaning of 

 the generic name does not well apply to the habitat of the 

 bird, unless considered as a species of our mountains, or 

 rather hills, surrounded by extensive plains. For example, 

 the Macdonnell Ranges in Central Australia, where the 

 bird is quite at home, would apply to the case if the bird 

 was not also quite numerous in wooded, dry areas, and 

 absent or rare in mountains proper. 



A^es^. — Cup-shaped and deep; made of bark and lined 

 with fibres, tkc. ; placed in the vicinity of the ground. 



Eggs. — Two or rarely three to a clutch. They vary con- 

 siderably, and may have the ground a very pale bluish- 

 white or white ; the dots dispersed upon them may be 

 black, or peculiar blotches and crescents, closely or broadly 

 separated. Length, 1 inch ; breadth, 08 inch. 



