FINE FEATHERS AND FINE BIRDS 141 



North; the Grey-tailed Whistler (P. glaucura), of 

 Tasmania; the Southern Whistler (P. occidentalis), 

 of South Australia; and the Western Whistler (P. 

 occidentalis), of West Australia. And no one but 

 an ornithologist would see any difference between 

 the lot ! The assertive gold, white, and black is pre- 

 sent in each species, variation showing almost solely 

 in the coloration of the tails. 



All this display of rich plumage renders the title 

 of "Golden-breasted" Whistler for any one of the 

 gorgeous bunch doubly indefinite; but, in the ab- 

 sence of a more suitable name, the most familiar of 

 them is entitled to chief distinction for having been, 

 so to speak, first in the field. ("The Pachycephala 

 gutturalis" wrote the veteran John Gould, "may be 

 regarded as the type of this genus.") The only 

 other title worth noting as applied to the Golden- 

 breasted Whistler is that of "Thunder-bird," early 

 bestowed by the colonists of New South Wales, who 

 noted the beauty bird's pronounced penchant for 

 breaking into a challenging reply to a growl of 

 thunder or the report of a gun. But other Whistlers 

 will do the same thing ; it is a curious little trait of 

 the genus, practiced by the soberly-clad birds 

 equally with their more haughty relatives. 



Be the mood of the Golden-breast what you will, 

 however, the notes are never aught but sweet. 

 What the strain lacks is continuity, and, in a lesser 

 degree, variety. Still, occasionally an individual 

 bird may be heard in quite a genuine song like the 

 opening notes of a gavotte, said a dweller on a 

 Queensland mountain, as we listened appreciatively 

 to a bird of unusual powers. These jungle areas are 



