Vol. XIII. "j ]\Iacgillivray, Notes on Some N .Queensland Birds. 165 



The note is a mournful whistle of two notes. The birds will always 

 answer a call, and may often be seen sitting in a tree and calling. 



The nest is usually placed on a stump or in a mass of vines at from 

 2 to 8 feet from the ground. It is domed, composed of twigs and 

 leaves, and lined with fine black, hair-like vegetable fibres. 



An adult male measures in the flesh, from tip of bill to tip of tail, 

 y}^ inches ; to toes, 8| inches. Irides dark brown, bill black, legs 

 fleshy-slate. Stomach contents, beetles. 



Common in Batavia and Ducic River scrubs. 



Hirundo neoxena. Welcome Swallow. — Noted both at Cape York 

 and in the Gulf country. 



Cheramceca leucosternum. White-backed Swallow. — Found at 

 Sedan in March, and on the Leichhardt River in June. 



Petrochelidon nigricans. Tree-lNIartin. — Observed occasionally at 

 Cape York and in the Gulf country, not nesting at any time 



Petrochelidon ariel. Fairy Martin. — Frequently noted in Gulf 

 country. Gn a creek off Ihe Leichhardt River, 2 miles from Augustus 

 Downs, a large colony of Fairy Martins was engaged in nesting 

 operations under an overhanging rock on the side of the creek. The 

 Leichhardt at this point flows over a bed of rock, and is bare of 

 timber. 



Microeca pallida. Pale Flycatcher. — Numerous all the way down 

 the Cloncurry River, in the trees I'ound the lakes and in those 

 lining subsidiary channels. They were also numerous on both the 

 Leichhardt and Gregory Rivers, even as far as Burketown. Not 

 seen at Cape York, where the following species takes its place. 



Microeca flavigaster. Yellow-breasted Flycatcher. — Fairly common 

 at Cape York, frequenting open forest country all the year round, 

 where its tiny nest, containing one egg, is placed on some high 

 horizontal branch. Its habits in general are similar to those of the 

 southern members of the genus. During the nesting season, which 

 extends from July until the end of the year, the male may often be 

 heard whistling in the topmost branches of the forest trees. 



Melanodryas bicolor. Hooded Robin. — A form intermediate between 

 this and M . picata is fairly common in the Gulf country, where it was 

 several times noted on the Cloncurry, Corella, and Leichhardt Rivers, 

 frequenting either box or gidgee country. 



Smicrornis flavescens. Yellow-tinted Tree-Tit. — Common in the 

 Gulf country, where it frequents the box flats, finding a hving in the 

 leaves of low box trees. Nests were found in February, ]\Iarch, and 

 April, commonly placed at the end of a drooping branch. The birds 

 usually went about in small flocks of five to six. On the Leichhardt, 

 where conditions were so favourable to bird life, these birds were 

 cspcciallv numerous. 



Gerygone albogularis. White-throated Fly-eater. — Noted first 

 about 25 miles from Cairns, in the scrub. At Sedan they were 

 numerous, especially in the gidgee. Also seen on the Leichhardt 

 and Gregory Rivers. Iris dark orange or orange-scarlet ; bill, feet, 

 and legs black. This species was also heard on the Jardine River. 



Gerygone magnirostris. Large-billed Fly-eater. — First observed at 

 Cape York, where they find a living all the year round in the man- 

 groves, feeding amongst the leaves. They nest in these trees, and 



