292 THE BIBDS OF AUSTRALIA 



uniformly spotted and dotted with markings of umber and 

 slaty-brown. It measures 1.2 x .82 inches. (North). Eggs have 

 been taken in Victoria. (Shepherd). 



The White-shouldered Caterpillar-eater. 



Lalage tricolor. 



Australia and South-east New Guinea. 



The sexes differ in colour. The male is of a glossy greenish-black 

 above, the shoulders and upper wing-eoverts pure white; throat, chest 

 and all the under surface white; no white eyebrow; the lower back grey. 

 The female is brown above, buffy-white below, the sides and upper breast 

 speckled with brown. Length 6.7 inches, culmen .6. 



This bird migrates to the South in September, and, after 

 breeding, departs to the North again in January or February. 

 Gilbert says of it, "Its powers of flight are considerable, and, 

 when excited during the breeding season, the males become very 

 pugnacious, and not only attack each other in the most desperate 

 manner, but also assault much larger birds that may approach 

 the nest. The usual flight is even, steady and graceful, and while 

 flying from tree to tree it gives utterance to its sweet and agree- 

 able song, which at times is so like the full, swelling, shaking 

 note of the Canary, that it might easily be mistaken for the 

 song of that bird. Their favourite haunts are thickly-wooded 

 places and the most secluded spots. The nest is so diminutive 

 that it is very difficult to detect it." The nest is round and 

 shallow, built of small pieces of bark, twigs and grasses, woven 

 with fibres, cobwebs and moss, and placed in the fork of a tree. 

 The eggs, two or three in the clutch, are variable in colouring, 

 usually light-green with brown blotches, .8 x .6 inch. 



The Pied Caterpillar-eater. 



Lalage leucomelmna. 



Eastern Australia, New Guinea, New Ireland, Aru. 



Somewhat like the preceding, but a rather larger bird. Male: Above 

 glossy greenish-black, with a white eyebrow; under-surfaces in general 

 white. Female: Above ashy-brown; under-surface fawn-buff deepening- 

 into orange-buff on the vent and under tail-coverts, and crossed on the 

 breast with wavy blackish lines. Length of male 7.8 inches, culmen .6-, 

 of female 7.5 inches. 



Eggs greyish-green, mottled all over with chestnut or umber, 

 .8 X .6 inch. In flying from tree to tree it utters a delightfully 

 liquid note. 



