286 THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA 



Genus Sisura. 

 Confined to Anstralia. There are two species. 



The Restless Fly-catcher. 



S. inquieta. 

 Australia except north. 



A resident bird. Head and upper surface shining blnisli-black; wings 

 dark brown; under surface silky white. Length 8 inches. 



Thus it closely resembles the Black and White Fantail in 

 size and colouring, except that it lacks the black throat. It well 

 deserves the common names of Kestless Fly-catcher and Razor- 

 grinder. It is never still, not only displays the graceful move- 

 ments of the other Fly-catchers, but has a habit of hovering like a 

 small Hawk and then darting straight down to seize the insect 

 which its keen eyes have detected. "While hovering it makes a 

 loud noise exactly resembling a razor-grinder at work. "When 

 perched on a bow it utters a shrill whistle. The nest is placed 

 as much out of reach as possible at the end of a dead horizontal 

 branch, with bark, grasses and cobwebs outside and lined with 

 feathers, fine grasses or hair. The eggs of the usual type, three 

 in number, white, blotched and spotted with brown, and measure 

 .75 X .6 inch. 



The Little Fly-catcher. 



S. nana. 

 North, Central, and North-west Australia. 



Head, back, and tail glossy greenish-black; wings brownish-black; 

 under surface white, tinged with buff on the chest. Length 6 inches. 



Genus Arses. 



A small genus occurring in New Guinea, the Papuan 

 islands and North-east Australia. 



The Pied Fly-catcher. 



Arses Icaupi. 



North-east Australia. 



Head, back, wings and tail glossy blue-black; a broad collar roimd 

 the neck; scapulars and rump white; under-surfaee white with a broad 

 band of glossy black across the breast. Length 6 inches. 



