132 INSECTIVOROUS BIRDS 



TRICOLOURED CHAT, 



Ephtliiauura tricolor, i^ld. 



Ef'thi-a-nurd trl'kul-or. 

 Ephthos, languid ; oui'a, tail ; i7^es, three ; coIo7\ colour. 



EriiTiiiANURA TRICOLOR, Gould, "Birds of Australia," fol., vol. iii., 



pi. 65. 



GEOGRAriiiCAL DISTRIBUTION. — Arcas 2, G, 7, 0. 



Key to the Species. — Male — Crimson on forehead, crown, breast, 

 and upper tail coverts ; throat white ; bill slender, about equal 

 in height and breadth at nostrils. 



Female — Crown, breast, and upper tail coverts faint red. 

 Young male — Upper tail coverts only red (strong red). 



The four species of chats are, without doubt, very beautiful, 

 and perhaps they will seem more interesting to us because 

 there are only four species known in the universe, and, as 

 before remarked, confined to Australia. The only plentiful 

 species in Victoria is the White-fronted, and its beauty 

 lies in the disposition of the black and white over its 

 graceful form. The remainder are, practically speaking, 

 tropical, of which two annually visit the nortli-west of the 

 colony to breed. These are essentially hot country forms ; 

 one appearing mostly crimson, the other golden-yellow. 

 All associate in flocks. The two highly-coloured species 

 may be found breeding in the same districts— occasionally 

 the three. The Tricoloured Chat is distinctly a bird that 

 travels south to summer and north to winter, I can 

 endorse the sentiments of other naturalists about being 

 struck with the remarkable beauty of this bird. When 

 first seen by myself, near Swan Hill, a pair was flitting 

 about the salt-bushes in search of insects. Being October, 

 they were arranging material for a nest in one of the bushes. 



