88 BIRDS OP MAMA ISLAND. 



20. Peteoeca phcenicia, Gould. 



This Robin is numerous in the western part of the island 



This is the most saxicoline of the robins in Tasmania, 

 reminding one forcibly of the wheatear in England, and 

 even tbe stonechat. In its little, quick flights from stone 

 to stone in the open fields, then flitting ofl" to tbe post of a 

 fence and quickly alighting therefrom on the ground, where it 

 will snap up an insect or flyand devouriton aneighbouring clod, 

 it shows the habits of a true chat. 



21. Petk^ca ehodinogaster, Drapiez. 

 Seen near the " Possil Cliffs " (M). 



22. Petrceca vittata, Quoy et Gaimard. 



The Dusky Eobin is as common on the island as elsewhere ; 

 observed about tbe settlement and in the open bushland along 

 the coast (L). 



23. Geocichla maceorhyncha, Gould. 



One example procured in the scrubs on the west side (M). 



This fine Tbrush will, no doubt, be found to be common in 

 the mountain ranges of the island. It is probably as 

 numerous on the slopes of Mount Wellington and in the 

 spurs of the range as anywhere in the eastern half of the 

 island. 



Mr. Seebohm, our chief authority on thrushes, has united 

 all those species which have a white underwing bar under 

 the genus, Geocichla, the type of which is Kuhl's Ground 

 thrush, G. interpres, from Java, Sumatra, and Lombock. The 

 genus is a widely-spread one, but not represented in Europe. 

 In Asia it has an Oriental distribution, i-anging from Eastern 

 Siberia through Burmah to India and Ceylon, and thence 

 through the Malay Archipelago, where it is well represented, 

 to Australia, in which region it is the only Thrush" found, and 

 there exists in the form of three species — G. Heinii (North 

 Australia and Queensland), G. lunulata (N.S. Wales to South 

 Australia), and G. macrorhyncha (Tasmania). Africa is a 

 stronghold of the genus, eleven species being found in that 

 continent. Our bird is at best a sub-species or insular 

 variety of the continental bird, from which it chiefly differs in 

 thelargesizeof the bill; buteven in this organ the dissimilarity 

 lies in its stoutness, for the difference in length is 

 scarcely appreciable. The length from tip to gape, 

 straight, varies in eight specimens in my collection from 

 1"38 to i'45, and in three continental specimens of G. lunulata 

 it is r37 and 1'38. The tinting of the underwing bar is 

 almost as buff in the continental as in the insular species, but 



