16 BIRDS OF TASMANIA. 



tail coverts, basal half of the tail, and abdomen white; head, back, 

 chin, throat, and chest blue-black. " Total length in the flesh, 

 10.5 in.; wing, 6.6; tail, 5; bill, 0.85; tarsus, 1.7 " (A. J. North). 



Female. Similar to male, except that in addition the lores, 

 the forehead, and throat are white. 



Young. Similar to adults, but duller in colour. 



Nest. Bowl shape, composed of mud, lined with grass and 

 a few feathers. The favourite situation is on a bare horizontal 

 limb of a tree, in the vicinity of or standing in water. 



Eggs. Clutch three to four; pyriform in shape; texture of 

 shell fine; surface glossy; colour white to pinkish- white, more or 

 less spotted, especially about the apex, where the marks often 

 form a confluent band, with spots of pinkish-red and purple. 

 Dimensions in mm. of a clutch : (1) 28 x 19, (2) 26 x 20, (3) 26.5 

 x 19.5, (4) 27 x 20. 



Breeding Season. September to January. 



Geographical Distribution. Tasmania (accidental) and the 

 whole of the mainland. 



Observations. On the 15th July, 1888, Dr. L. Holden shot the 

 first recorded Tasmam'an specimen at Stanley. 



*WHISTLING SHRIKE-THRUSH (WHISTLING DICK) 

 (Collyriocincla rectirostris, Jard. and Selby). 



Male. Head, rump, upper tail coverts, and tail grey; back, 

 scapulars, and lesser wing coverts brown, striped with olive ; 

 greater coverts and quills dark brown, almost black, outer webs 

 grey; lores and an indistinct line over the eye dull white; chin, 

 throat, and fore-neck almost pure white; rest of under surface 

 greyish-white ; sides of body and under tail coverts grey ; iris 

 dark brown; bill black; legs and feet blackish. Dimensions in 

 mm. : Length, 251; bill, 24; wing, 124; tail, 107; tarsus, 30.5. 



Female. Eyebrow rufous; feathers of under surface with black 

 shafts; legs and feet greenish-grey; otherwise similar to male. 

 Dimensions in mm.: Length, 254; bill, 23.5; wing, 123; tail, 

 104; tarsus, 30.5. 



Young. Male resembles the adult female, save that the sides 

 of the head and upper wing coverts are tinged with rufous ; also the 

 under surface is more broadly streaked. 



Nest. The cup-shaped nest is usually composed either of 

 narrow strips of stringy-bark, neatly woven together, or moss, fine 

 rootlets, grass and leaves, with a lining of fine grass. The usual 

 situation is a hollow in a tree or stump. 



Eggs. Clutch three to four; stout oval in shape, with the 

 texture fine; surface glossy; colour pearly-white, more or less 

 spotted and blotched with olive and dull slate. Dimensions in 



