The Cock of the Ruck.- 



— BIRDS.- 



-The Spotted I'audalote. 



■637 



qiiill feathers are black. All these spccicp- are little 

 more tha'i three inches in length. 



THE EED CHATTERER [Plucnicocereus carnifex), 

 although a much larger bird than the preceding species, 

 is nearly allied to theiu, and like them inhabits the 

 damp forests of Brazil and Guiana. It is about seven 

 inches in length, and the male is a magnificent bird, 

 with plumage of a fier3'-red colour, except tlie upper 

 part of the back, which is reddish-brown, and the 

 lireast, which is blood red ; the tail feathers are crimson 

 with black tijis. 



THE ORANGE COCK OF THE ROCK [Rupicola 

 nuranlui]~-V\A\.Q 11, fig. 36— which is also allied to 

 the Manakins, is considerably larger than even the 

 [ireceding species, being about tlie size of an ordinary 

 liigeon. The plumage is of a bright orange colour ; the 

 liead is adorned with a crest formed by two flat plumes 

 of feathers so inclined as to touch by their edges, 

 where they are finely bordered with brown and bright 

 yellow. Tlie wings are brownish, marked with wbito 

 .it the bend and in tlie middle, and the tail feathers are 

 blackisli-red margined with yellow. The bird is sup- 

 ported upon stout legs and feet, having some resem- 

 blance to those of a gallinaceous bird, and with these he 

 is said to scratch in the gi-ound like a fowl. The 

 Cock of the Rock is a native of tropical South Ame- 

 rica, wheie it dwells amongst the rocks bordering the 

 mountain streams, and breeds in the numerous caverns 

 with which the mountains of South America abound. 

 The nest is composed of bits of stick and dry gi-ass, 

 and the female lays two white eggs about the size of 

 those of a pigeon. The food of this bird consists of 

 insects and small wild fruits. A nearly allied but 

 distinct species {Rapicola peruviana) inhabits the 

 mountains of Peru and Jlexico. 



THE GREEN CALYPTOMENA {Cahjptomena viridis). 

 This bird, which is generally regarded as nearly 

 related to the Rock Cocks, is remarkable, not only for 

 the beauty of its plumage, but also for being the only 

 species of the small group to which it belongs, which 

 is found out of America. It is an inhabitant of Singa- 

 pore and Malacca, wliere it resides in the heart 

 of the forests and feeds upon vegetable matters, 

 principally fruits and seeds. Its length is about six 

 inches and a half, and the male is of a most beautiful 

 green colour, with some black spots on the Iiead, and 

 tliree black bands on the wings, of which the primary 

 leathers are blackish-brown. The tail feathers are 

 green above and blue-black below. The feathers of 

 the head are directed foi'wards, so as almost to conceal 

 the bill, which is depressed and broad at the base. 



THE YELLOW BXTD-HUNTER {Leiothrix luteus). 

 This is a common Indian species of a small gruup 

 which resembles the Tits in some respects, and espe- 

 cially in the habit of mmutely examining the buds of 

 trees in search of small insects. It is found abun- 

 dantly in Upper India, and migrates to the hills during 

 the hot season. Its food consists partly of insects and 

 partly of fruits and seeds. 



THE THUNDER BIRD {Padojccphula gutlurali's). 



This species is a native of the whole southern part of 



Australia, where it is abundant in the forests of 



Eucalypti and Acacias. It measures about seven 



Vol. I. 



inches in length; the male is olive-coloured above, 

 and bright yellow beneath, w^ith the head and a band 

 across the front of the neck black, and the throat white. 

 The female is greyish-brown. The food of this species 

 consists of insects. 



THE BANDED THICK-HEAD {PacJiyrcphala peclo- 

 ralis) resembles the preceding species in tlio arrange- 

 ment of its colours, but has the lower surface reddish- 

 buff instead of yellow. It is found over the whole 

 southern part of the Australian continent, dwelling 

 amongst the leafy branches of tall trees in the thinner 

 parts of the forests. Its song is animated and lively, 

 being described by Mr. Gould as a " loud, continuous, 

 ringing whistle, frequently terminating in a sharp 

 smack," like that of a whip, which is also a character- 

 istic note of the two preceding species. 



THE YELLOW ROBIN {Eopsaltria austmlis). The 

 bird which is kno\vn under this name by the colonists 

 of New South Wales, is an abundant species in the 

 brushes of that country, and also frequently makes its 

 appearance in the gardens. It is a lively and sprightly 

 bird, presenting a considerable resemblance to the 

 robin in its actions. The whole length of the bird is 

 about six inches ; its colour is gray above, with the 

 rump yellow ; beneath bright yellow with the chin 

 white. It breeds in September and October, building 

 a beautiful cup-shaped nest upon the forked biauch of 

 a tree ; this is composed of strips of bark, roots, and 

 sometimes grasses, held together outside by cobwebs, 

 to which fragments of lichen and bark are often 

 attached so naturally, as to render the detection of the 

 nest almost impossible. The eggs are of a bright green 

 colour spotted widr brown. 



THE SPOTTED PARDALOTE {Pardalolus }mnc- 

 tatus), the Diamond Bird of the colonists of New 

 South Wales, is common over the whole of tlie southern 

 part of the Australian continent and in Van Diemen's 

 Land. It is an active, sprightly, and beautiful little 

 creature, measui'ing only a little more than three inches 

 and a half in length to the extremity of its short tail ; 

 the male has the head, wings, and tail black, with a 

 pure white spot at the tip of each feather, and a white 

 streak over each eye ; the sides of the neck gray ; the 

 feathers of the back fawn colour, edged with black, and 

 gray at the base ; the rump reddish-brown, with the 

 upper tail coverts crimson ; and the whole lower surface 

 yellow, the throat especially being of a very bright 

 orange-yellow. The female is less brilliantly coloured. 

 This bird frequents both the forests and gardens, where 

 it is constantly to be seen amongst the branches of the 

 trees, clinging in every possible position, whilst busily 

 engaged in seeking its insect food amongst the foliage. 

 It is remarkable on account of the situation which it 

 selects for its nest ; for whilst the other species of this 

 genus build in the holes of trees, the Spotted Pardalote 

 descends to the ground for this purpose, digs a hori- 

 zontal gallery two or three feet in length into some 

 bank, and at the end of this forms a chamber in which 

 the nest is made. The nest is very neatly constructed 

 of strips of the inner bark of the gum trees; it is of a 

 neariy spherical form, with a bole for entrance at one 

 side. The bird rears two broods in the season, laying 

 four or five pure white eggs. 



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