18 The Insectivorous Birds of N.S. W. 



ground in these localities, constructing a nest among the dead leaves at the 

 foot of a small tree. The food of this species consists of insects and their 

 larva?. 



62. Eopsaltkia atjstealis, Latham. " Yellow-breasted Eobin." 



Eopsaltria australis, Grould, Birds of Austr., fol. ed., Vol. in, pi. 11 (1848) ; 

 North, Nests and Eggs, Austr. Bds., p. 108 (1889). 



This resident and well-known species is freely distributed over the greater 

 portion of eastern New South Wale3. It is very common in the scrubs near 

 the coast, and is equally plentiful in the damp and humid gullies of our 

 heavily -timbered mountain ranges inland. Probably there is no more 

 familiar or useful bird to the orchardist and viticulturist, for being of a 

 tame and fearless disposition, it readily enters into orchards and vineyards in 

 search of insects and their larva?, which constitute its food. Near Sydney 

 this species is one of the first to breed, commencing early in July and con- 

 tinuing until the end of December, during which time two or more broods 

 are reared. The nest, which is usually placed in the fork of a low tree, is a 

 round cup-shaped structure, composed of strips of bark and fibrous roots, 

 bound round and held together with cobwebs, the outside and rim being 

 beautifully ornamented with lichen and pieces of bark attached by means of 

 cobweb, and which hang perpendicularly around the nest. It is lined inside 

 with wiry grasses, and generally has a few dried Eucalyptus leaves at the 

 bottom. Eggs, two or three in number for a sitting, of a bright apple or 

 bluish-green ground colour, freckled and spotted all over with different 

 shades of reddish and chestnut-brown. In some instances these markings 

 predominate towards the thicker end, and becoming confluent, form a well- 

 defined zone ; length, 0'83 x 0'62 inch. 



63. Pcecilodryas capito, Gould. " Large-headed Eobin," " White-lored 



Eobin." 



JSopsaltria capito, Grould, Birds of Austr. Suppl., pi. 17 (1869) ; North, 

 Nests and Eggs, Austr. Bds., p. 109 (1889). 



This species frequents the rich brushes that clothe the sides of the northern 

 coastal rivers, its range extending as far south as the neighbourhood of the 

 Bellinger Eiver. Although by no means an uncommon bird in this portion 

 of the Colony, it is never met with elsewhere in New South Wales. The 

 nest, which is usually built in a low tree, is a deep cup-shaped structure, 

 composed of the dead leaves of the "lawyer-vine" (Calamus australis), held 

 together with a few wiry grass-stems, the exterior being covered with mosses 

 and a few pieces of lichen. Eggs, two in number for a sitting, of a dull 

 greenish-white ground colour, indistinctly marked with yellowish and reddish 

 brown, particularly towards the larger end ; length, 0"8 x 0"6 inch. 



SyJney : Charles Potter, Government Printer.— 1896. 



