234 INSECTIVOROUS BIRDS 



FRIAR-BIRD 



(Leatherhead, Four-o'clock), 



Philemon coriiiciilatus. Lath. 



Fi'le-mon kdr-nik-u-la'lus. 

 Philein, to love ; monos, single ; corniculum, a little horn. 



Tropidorhynchus corniculatus, Gould, "Birds of Australia," 

 foL, vol. iv., pi. 58. 



Geographical Dlstributiox. — Areas 2, 3, 4, 6, 7. 



Key to the Species. — Base of culmen with large hump; whole 

 crown, side of neck and head all round bare ; feathers of fore- 

 neck and chest lanceolate in shape. 



This is the common Leatherhead of Victoria. I have 

 never seen the New South Wales species {/\ citreogularis) 

 come as far south as the Murray River, but I have no 

 doubt it is numerous enough at times in the direction of 

 Mildura. There are four species of Leatherheads on our 

 continent. 



Mr. Gould writes of this species : — " The Friar-bird, 

 selecting the topmost dead branch of the most lofty tree 

 whereon to perch and pour forth its garrulous and singular 

 notes, attracts attention more by its loud and extraordinary 

 call than by its appearance. From the fancied resemblance 

 of its notes to those words it has obtained from the colonists 

 the various names of ' Poor Soldier,' ' Pimlico,' ' Four- 

 o'clock,' tfec. Its bare head and neck have also suggested 

 the names of ' Friar-bird,' ' Monk,' ' Leatherhead,' itc. 

 The flight is undulating and powerful, and it may fre- 

 quently be seen passing over the tops of the trees from one 

 part of the forest to another. While among the branches 

 it displays a more than ordinary number of singular posi- 

 tions, its curved and powerful claws enabling it to cling in 



