Birds of Melville Island. 123 



127. Metagraucalus tenuirostris melvillensis. Melville- 

 Island Caterpillar-catcher. 



Coracina tenuirostris melvillensis Mathews, Austral A v. 

 Rec, vol. i. 1912, p. 43 : Melville Island. 



Occasionally a pair is seen, but it is decidedly a rare bird, 

 though more numerous on the north side. This species 

 was not noticed by Mr. Rogers anywhere in north-west 

 Australia. 



128. Lalage tricolor indistincta. Pale-rumped. Caterpillar- 

 eater. 



Lalage t7'icolor indistincta Mathews, Nov. Zool. vol. xviii. 

 1912, p. 328 : Wyndham, North-west Australia. 



This species is very rare on the Island, only one bird 

 being seen on the 1st of November. 



129. Kama leucomela ruflventris. Banded Caterpillar- 

 eater. 



Campephaga rufiventris Gray, Genera Birds, vol. i. 1846, 

 p. 283 : Raffles Bay, Northern Territory. 



This is rather a silent bird, its note being more like that 

 o^ Metagraucalus tenuirostris melvillensis than that of Lalage 

 tricolor indistincta. Its favourite haunts are the dense 

 growths along creeks and the clumps of heavily foliaged trees 

 and shrubs. In comparison with L. tricolor indistincta it is 

 a " skulker,'^ moving quietly about amongst the branches. 

 It is a confirmed fruit-eater, the stomachs, as a rule, con- 

 taining little else than the smaller native fruits. It is 

 sometimes seen in the open forest-country and is a 

 resident. . 



130. Pomatostomus temporalis rubeculus. Red-breasted 

 Babbler. 



Pomatorhinus rubeculus Gould, Proc. Zool. Soc. for 

 1839, 1840, p. 144 : Port Essington. 



These birds are numerous, and are found in the forest- 

 country. They breed on the Island, as two young ones were 

 shot on the 7th of November; they are non-migratory. 



