^°'; ^^^''-J Chisholm, Three Species of the Pachycephaliiicv. 30 



Robin (Eopsaltria aiistralis) that one of these birds excitedly flew 

 up to investigate. After that it became apparent to me that 

 the grey-garbed bird with the touch of red in the wings was 

 really a beautiful autumnal melodist. 



It is not straining at a fancy to say that the bar most frequently 

 uttered by the solitary female wanderer suggests the words, 

 " Be quick, quick, 0-please-do-be-quick ! " Silence for a while, 

 and then the strain is changed to " Swee-e-t, swee-e-t ; oh, it's 

 pretty, it is pretty — pretty." Almost every bar is preceded by 

 the curious indrawn note characteristic of the genus. At times, 

 too, the female uses the " half -indrawn " call, a slender " Peeee," 

 or " Sweeet," which frequently was heard coming from the 

 musical male Whistlers at Mallacoota. Then there is, more rarely, 

 a remarkably rich bar — " Bobby-link, bobby-link, bobby-link, 

 bobby-link " ; and another that is neatly expressed as " Pretty 

 Dick, pretty Dick." The bird that I heard to best advantage 

 on this rollicking note came down almost to within arm's reach 

 to inspect me ; at other times it was impossible to call her down 

 from the tree-tops. 1 have this note under date loth May, 

 1914 : — " In the gully I heard a slight note, and presently found 

 another of the remarkable female Whistlers. These birds 

 evidently are all of the one mind, in that they are always alone, 

 always in a gully, talkative only on odd occasions, and alternately 

 curious and shy. In two hours this bird emitted but one rich 

 bar — quite different from others I have heard." 



Two weeks later, on the moniing of a clear June day, I was 

 intently watching a Shrike-Tit working on the ground, when the 

 shrill " Peeeee " note caused me to look up quickly. There was 

 a male P. gutturalis, darting from tree to tree around the female 

 Whistler of the locality. It was as though the fire of spring was 

 already in the air. " Seeeee," he called, in a prolonged ecstatic 

 note, as he flaunted his gay plumage for admiration ; then, as no 

 response was forthcoming, " Be-quick, quick, quick ! " But the 

 female was indifferent ; she continued to feed quietly, her whole 

 attitude suggesting the response, " Nobody marks you." For a 

 while this little comedy was kept up, the male dashing all aroimd 

 the object of his affection and uttering the shrill note and the 

 melodious " Be-quick." At times he went too close ; then the 

 quiet grey bird dashed at him and administered a sharp peck to 

 cool his ardour. This had its effect after five minutes or so ; the 

 male became philosophic, and simply sat preening his feathers. 

 He took no further notice of the disdainful female, and, when she 

 flew off, did not attempt to follow her. Possibly she came back 

 to look for him when the realization of her loss dawned upon her. 



I have seen odd birds (females) alone as late as September and 

 October. In the first week of the latter month last year I met 

 one working in a bush orchard. It sang softly — a confidential 

 httle lilt, with all the trills of a Canary. 



P. gilberti. — This sweet-voiced bird 1 have met in Victoria and 

 South Australia. It was found to be plentiful, as Capt. S. A. 



