MYIAGEA LATIROSTKIS, 



' (Broad-hilled Fly-catcher.) 



-♦— — 



All the upper surface, wings, and tail, dark bluish grey, with a greenish lustre on the head and back of the neck ; throat and chest, sandy 

 buff ; under surface, white ; bill, black ; irides, blackish brown ; feet, black. 



Length, 6 inches ; wing, 2f ; tail, 2f ; bill, f ; tarsus, f . 



This species was procured by Mr. Dring on the north coast of Australia, and at Port Essington by Mr. Gilbert. It may be at 

 once discriminated from the other members of the genus by the greater breadth of the bill. Nothing is at present known of its habits or 

 nidification. 



MACH^EIRHYNCHUS ELAVIVENTER. 



(Yelloio-hreasted Fly -catcher.) 



Crown of the head, lores, ear coverts, wings, and tail, black ; primaries with a fine edging of white for about half their length ; secondaries 

 and tertiaries, broadly margined with white on the external webs ; wing coverts, tipped with white ; throat white ; forehead, a line over and for 

 some distance behind the eye ; chest and all the under surface, yellow ; all but the central feathers of the tail tipped with white, but most on 

 the lateral feathers ; bill, black ; irides, brown ; feet, dark brow^n. » 



Length, 5 inches ; wing, 2 ; tail, 2\ ; bill, -f ; tarsus, -|. 



This singular but beautiful little fly-catcher has only been found in the Cape York Peninsula. It frequents the dense scrubs, 

 and is constantly on the move, making short flights after passing insects and returning to" the same spot. The short stout bristles proceeding 

 from the base of the bill doubtless assist it in more effectually arresting its struggling prey, and the broad bill must have some special 

 adaptation of which we are not at present aware. 



PIEZORHYNCHUS NITIDUS. 



(Blue Shining Fly-catcher.) 



Male : Plumage, throughout, glossy greenish black, .excepting the tips of the primaries, which are brownish black. Female : crown, lores, ear 

 coverts, back and sides of the neck, glossy greenish black ; the remainder of the upper surface wings and tail, rusty brown ; under surface, 

 white, washed with rusty on the lower portion of the abdomen; primaries, and centra! portions of secondaries, nearly black; under tail coverts, 

 reddish buff. 



Length, 6i inches ; wing, 3i ; tail, 3 ; bill, | ; tarsus, f . 



This species is found principally at the north. In the peninsula of Cape York it is plentiful, and also at Port Essington. The 

 northern portions of Queensland seem to be its principal habitat. It is a shy bird, and not easily procured, as it frequents dense thickets 

 and mangroves, uttering its cry as it creeps along among the fallen trees. Its note very much resembles the croak of a frog, and, according 

 to G-ilbert, is only uttered when feeding on the ground ; but when it ascends to the trees, its note is a pleasing succession of sounds 

 resembling the syllables twit-te-twite. The nest is carefully masked so as to resemble the color of the branches on which it builds. It is of 

 a cup shaped form, the outer part being made of stringy bark, bound together with vegetable fibres and cobwebs, and loosely attached are 

 small pieces of bark or lichens, which swing about with every breeze. The interior is lined with a strong, thread-like, fibrous root. The 

 eo-o-s are two in number, of a bluish white color, blotched and spotted with olive and greyish brown, almost forming a zone at the large end; 

 size, 10 by 7 lines. 



"^ [OVEK. 



