734 The Sparrow-like Birds 



much care." The nest is built in thick bushes and the four or five eggs are 

 greenish blue spotted with reddish brown. 



Thick-heads. The final subfamily (Pachycephalince), which on some ac- 

 counts is entitled to full family rank, is also a large one, compassing a little more 

 than a hundred species disposed in some eight genera; it is widely represented 

 throughout the Austro-Malayan and Polynesian regions. This differs from the 

 last subfamily in having the soft nostrils in a groove and partly covered by small 

 feathers and the nasal bristles ; yellow is present in the plumage, but neither blue 

 nor red; the sexes are generally different. One of the most peculiar members 

 of the group is the Frontal Shrike, or Shrike-Tit (Falcunculusfrontatus}, of South 

 and East Australia. It is a very animated and spritely little Tit-like bird, about 

 seven inches in length, with a deep black erectile crest, the general color of the 

 upper parts being greenish yellow more or less tinged with gray, and very bright 

 yellow below; the throat and fore neck are deep black bordered by a narrow 

 white stripe and this by a black stripe, which runs from the outer edge of the 

 eye over the ear; the female is much smaller and has the throat green instead 

 of black. Mr. John Gould, who enjoyed exceptional opportunities of observing 

 this bird in its native haunts, states that it inhabits the thick brush as well as the 

 trees of the open plain, seeking its food, which consists principally of insects, 

 among the foliage or under the bark of the larger branches, and displaying in 

 its dexterity and lively actions a striking similarity to the Tits. While thus 

 employed it frequently erects its crest and assumes many pert positions, and he 

 adds, "no bird of its size with which I am acquainted possesses greater strength 

 in its mandibles, or is capable of inflicting severer wounds, as I experienced on 

 handling one I had previously winged, and which fastened on my hand in a 

 most ferocious manner." They build a round, cup-shaped nest and lay three or 

 four eggs. 



Nearly nine tenths of the species embraced in this subfamily are comprised 

 in a single genus (Pachycephald) and are known as Thick-heads. Lacking the 

 head crest characteristic of the last, the sexes are generally different in plumage, 

 the principal colors of which in the male are brown, yellow, olive-green, and 

 black, red and blue being always absent. They are small birds, mostly between 

 six and seven inches in length, of quiet demeanor, hopping about the branches 

 of trees or on the ground seeking their food, which consists largely of cater- 

 pillars, beetles, etc. Some of them possess a loud and rather pleasing song, 

 while others merely emit a slow but frequently repeated whistling note. They 

 make neat, round, cup-shaped nests and lay usually four eggs. 



THE WOOD SHRIKES 



(Family Prionopid<z) 



Under the collective name of Wood Shrikes there has been segregated a small 

 group of about ninety-five species disposed among some sixteen genera of 

 mainly small, Old World, Shrike-like birds that at one time were considered a 



