OREOiCA CRISTATA. 



(Crested Oredica.) 



Mail. — Feathers from the bill to the eye and throat, pure white, surrounded by the black, which fronts the crest, is continued beneath the 

 eye, and curves round, forming a broad band of black across the chest ; hinder part of the crest and sides of the head, grey ; upper surface 

 and flanks, light brown ; wings, brown, margined with bullish brown ; tail, dark brown ; centre of abdomen, whitish ; vent and under tail 

 coverts, buff ; bill, black ; irides, orange ; feet, brown. 



Female. ^ — Not so bright in her markings, the throat being dull white, the face grey, and but a faint approach to a band on the 

 chest ; her eyes, also, are hazel, and feet olive brown. 



Length, 8| inches ; wing, 4i ; tail, 3f ; bill, -f- ; tarsus, f . 



This interesting bird is exclusively confined to the southern and middle portions of Australia, being rare in the southern 

 parts of Queensland. It has not been observed in Tasmania, but in Western Australia and ISTew South A¥ales it is pretty equally 

 dispersed, though common nowhere. It is very terrestrial in its habits, hopping along the ground with considerable swiftness, jerking its 

 tail and throwing forward its crest, and seeming to prefer situations of an open and naked character, and principally in sterile and ridgy 

 country. Its food consists of insects. The note of this bird is very varied. It is said to imitate the notes of other birds ; but its own are 

 very remarkable, usually being a succession of notes, or two notes repeated rather slowly, followed by a repetition three times rather quickly, 

 the last note resembling a bell, from its ringing tone. Another sound which it utters has been likened to that emitted by a grindstone 

 wanting oil. The nest is usually placed in the grass tree, and is cup shaped, being formed of fine shreds of bark, and lined with dried grasses. 

 The eggs, generally three in number, vary much, both in color and markings: ground color, bluish white, or bluish green, spotted minutely 

 with black, or blotched and marked with zig zag lines of black. Size, 1 inch 1 line by 9^ lines. 



DICRURUS BE.ACTEATUS. 



(Spangled Drongo Shrike.) 



GrENEEAL plumage, deep glossy black ; the feathers of the head, with a crescent, and those of the breast, with a spot of metallic green at the 

 tip ; wings and tail, much glossed with green ; under wing coverts tipped with white ; irides, red ; bill and feet, blackish brown. 



Length, Hi inches ; wing, 6i ; tail, 5i ; bill, li ; tarsus, f . 



The Drongo Shrikes are a beautiful genus of birds, characterised by their black plumage and forked tails of only ten feathers, 

 instead of the usual number, twelve. India is the stronghold of the majority of the species. Others are found in Africa and the Malayan 

 Islands. The present species is the only one as yet found in Australia. It is confined to the country along the sea coast, and possesses an 

 extensive rano-e, beino- found from Moreton Bay to the north-west coast, and, in fact, throughout the whole of the Queensland and North 

 Australian seaboard. At Cape York and Port Essington it is abundant, and generally seen in pairs, but sometimes in flocks of seven or 

 eight. It frequents the scrubs, mangroves, and thickly wooded country. It is active in its habits, and seldom comes to the ground. Its 

 flight, though strong, is not sustained, and its food consists of insects, especially grasshoppers and beetles ; it is also known to feed upon 

 wild fruits, a species of lime especially, the interior of which it scoops out, leaving the rind nearly entire. It breeds in October and 

 November. The nest, which is formed of the fine stalks of creeping plants, is shallow in form, and placed near the extremity of a thickly 

 foliaged branch. The young are three or four in number. 



