Vol. XIII. J Macgillivrav, Notes on Some N . Queensland Birds. i6q 



whistles when searching for food, a more persistent whistling is 

 usvially an indication that a nest is being built. They nest during 

 the wet months of the year, from November until March, and usually 

 lay two eggs. 



Arses lorealis. Frill-necked Flycatcher. — Found at Cape York. 

 It seems to search the stems of vines and trunks of trees for its insect 

 food, hopping up round a big tree trunk and searching the crevices 

 in the bark. The nest, thin and net-like, is usually suspended by 

 the rim from two vines or from a loop of vine, and placed at from 

 (S to 20 feet from the ground. It is a bird of the scrub, and nests 

 in the wet months. In a male the irides are brown, bare skin 

 round eye bright blue, bill horn colour, legs dark leaden. 



Piezorhynchus nitidus. Shining Flycatcher. — Mostly found in man- 

 groves and tea-tree swamps, only occasionally in the scrub. It has 

 a very pretty whistling call, and will always come when the note is 

 imitated. Finds its food usually amongst the roots and lower 

 branches of the mangroves. The stomach contents of those examined 

 consisted of beetles and other insects. 



The nest is usually built in an upright fork of mangrove or tea- 

 tree, usually about 3 feet from the water. The male bird shares in 

 the task of incubating the eggs. They nest in the summer 

 months. In a male the irides are dark brown, bill leaden-blue with 

 tip and cutting edges black, legs black. 



Monarcha alblventer. White-bellied Flycatcher. — This northern 

 form of P. goitldi is fairly common at Cape York in a good season. 

 It is always found in the scrub, feeding from low down to the upper 

 branches of the vegetation. It also nests in the wet months of 

 the summer. In a dry season, like that of 1Q11-12, very few nest. 

 Iris dark brown, bill horn colour, legs dark leaden-blue. 



Monarcha leucotis. White-eared Flycatcher. — Only one of these 

 birds was seen during Mr. M'Lennan's stay at Cape York. ^, length 

 5f inches ; iris dark brown ; upper mandible black ; lower mandible, 

 tip black and the rest bluish-white ; legs greyish-black. This is no 

 doubt its northern limit. 



Monarcha carinata. Black-faced Flycatcher. — A number of these 

 Flycatchers arrived at Cape York in February, 191 1. They seemed 

 to come from the south, stayed for about two months, and then 

 disappeared, so that they can be regarded only as visitors to this 

 region. ^, irides brown, bill horn colour, legs horn colour. Stomach 

 contents, insects. 



Monarcha canescens. Pearly Flycatcher. — Only one noted at Cape 

 York during Mr. M'Lennan's stay there. $, irides dark brown ; bill 

 horn colour, black tip ; lower mandible dark horn colour ; legs horn 

 colour. Stomach contents, insects. This is probably a Papuan 

 bird, only occasionally visiting Cape York. 



Pteropodocys phasianella. Ground Cuckoo-Shrike. — Very plentiful 

 throughout tlae Gulf country, where in parties of from three to six 

 they may often be seen feeding on the ground. The flight is 

 undulating, like that of Graucalus melanops. One nest only was 

 found, near the Cloncurry River ; it was placed in a horizontal fork 

 of a gidgee at about 14 feet from the ground, and contained three 

 young birds. 



Graucalus melanops. Black-faced Cuckoo-Shrike. — Numerous 



