338 THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA 



Genus Collyriocichla. Shrike-Thrushes. 

 Grey and brown birds. Second primary longer than the 

 secondaries. 



Bill blackish or deep brown. 



1. Back umber brown contrasting with grey head and rump. 



The Grey Shrike-Thrush, C. harmonica. — Australia, except North and 

 "West. Bill stout, .9 inches long; white loral spot very distinct; no 

 white eyebrow; beneath ashy grey, the throat, centre of abdomen and 

 under tail-coverts white. Length 9.8 inches. 



The Whistling Shrike-Thrush, C. recUrostris. — Tasmania. Bill very long, 

 1.2 inch; white loral spot very faint; a distinct whitish eyebrow; 

 beneath all grey. Length 9.5 inches. 



2. Back ashy-brown, like the rest of the upper surface. 



The Brown Shrike-Thrush, C. brunnea. — New Guinea and North Australia. 

 White loral spot and eyebrow; beneath brownish white; throat and 

 under tail-coverts white. Length 8.5 inches. 



The BufE-bellied Shrike-Thrush, C. rufiventris. — Central and West 

 Australia. White loral spot; no white eyebrow; beneath brownish 

 white; under tail-coverts bright fawn-buff. Length 8.5 inches. 



Woodward's Shrike-Thrush, C. woodwardi. — Northern Australia (Arnhera 

 Land). Greyish-brown above; more greyish on the crown and sides 

 of the head; quills and tail dark brown; throat and chest pale grey 

 with a faint buff tinge; under parts ochraceous. ^Ying 129mm., 

 tail 125mm. 



The Shrike-Thrushes are remarkable for the rich swelling 

 melody of their loud and clear notes, which ring through the 

 forest, and enrapture the listener. The notes, as I am now 

 listening to the birds in my garden and an adjoining tree 

 paddock, seem to resemble Wokh-wokh-wokh-Wee-ee. They feed 

 on insects, which they pursue making short hops from 

 limb to limb of the trees, and discover by tearing off the bark 

 cleverly with their bills. The nest is not usually elaborate, 

 made of strips of bark and lined with fibrous roots or grasses, 

 and placed in a hollow open stump, that of C. harmonica 

 sometimes on a ledge of a rock. The clutch usually consists of 

 three or four eggs, which are pearly white with chestnut-brown 

 blotches and bluish-grey under markings. Those of 

 G. harmonica measure 1.2 x .9 inch. 



