( 32 ) 



inverted cone attached to a small branch, and lays three yellowish 

 white eggs with a ring of dark grey spots round the large end. 



(No. 604. Rhipidura albifrontata.) 



THE YELLOW BELLIED FAN-TAILED FLYCATCHER. 



To my mind this is the nicest and most interesting little bird we 

 have, and I have spent hours watching them during breeding season 

 while they amuse themselves. The cock is a very gallant little 

 fellow, always on the move waltzing and singing round his bride 

 with outspread wings and tail. The hen, on the other hand, is a very 

 demure little person who seems to be rather bothered by his 

 attentions ; and later in the season, if there are eggs in her nest, 

 often betrays its presence by her restless behaviour and anxious 

 cries ; and being quite fearless gives it away by her frequent visits. 



They are tiny olive-brown birds about four-and-a-half inches long, 

 their fan-shaped tail being quite half their length ; and have their 

 under parts and a conspicuous band across their foreheads bright 

 yellow. In the hills above 5,000 feet they are by no means uncom- 

 mon. Their nests are as charming as themselves, being small cones, 

 composed of moss, covered with lichen attached by cob-webs and 

 lined with red hair-like stamens of some flower. Their eggs, a deli- 

 cate pink in the nest ; but when blown, pure white with a zone of 

 purplish pink. 



(No. 603. Chelidorhynx hypoxanthum.) 



XIII 



THRUSHES. 



The Turdidae are a large family consisting of the chats, robins, 

 redstarts and thrushes, and as a family are remarkable for their young 

 having a mottled plumage. The majority are migratory, and con- 

 sequently have long pointed wings. 



THE CHATS. 



Are small birds having the habit of perching on some prominent 

 position near the ground, either a stone or the top of a bush. They 

 are continually on the move, with flitting wings and tail, either 

 making dashes on to the ground to seize some unfortunate insect 

 or moving on to some other position near at hand. The majority 

 of them are migratory. To this family belong the whin-chats, stone- 

 chats and wheatears which are such familiar birds at home during 

 the sumnrrr. 



