84 MUSCICAPIDffi. 



inches j bill from forehead 1 inch. A specimen of G. parvissirria 

 from Cape York measures 6-5 inches in length ; wing, 3-7 inches- 

 tail, 3 inches : bill from forehead, 0-87 inch. ' 



A nest of this species, from the same district, is similar to 

 those of the other members of the genus, being an open cup-shaped 

 structure composed of strips of bark, lined with grasses ; the eggs, 

 two in number for a sitting, are pearly-white, spotted all over 

 with slate and umber-brown, with obsolete markings of deep 

 bluish-grey. Length (A) 0-97 x 0-7 inch ; (B) 0-96 x 0-7 inch. 



ZTaS. Gulf of Carpentaria, Cape York, Rockingham Bay, South 

 Coast New Guinea. {Ramsay.) 



Family MUSCIOAPID^. 



Genus EHIPIDUEA, Vigors and HorsfiBd. 

 2-3 HHIFIBJJ-R A ALBISGAP A, Gould. 



White-shafted Fautail. 

 Gould, Hamdhk. Bds. Aust., Vol. i., sp. 134, p. 238. 



This lively and interesting little bird is plentifully distributed 

 .throughout Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and South 

 Australia, and although it has nothing to recommend it in the 

 sombre tints of its plumage, the remarkable shape of its nest 

 attaches to it an interest that renders it one of the most conspicuous 

 of the smaller birds of the Australian bush. 



A nest of this species now before me is funnel-shaped, or like a 

 wine glass with the base broken off; it is composed of strips of 

 very fine bark closely interwoven and securely held together on 

 the outside with spider's web, whifch is neatly wound round 

 the exterior portion of the nest proper, the thin branch on which 

 it is placed and the upper portion of the stem-like appendage 

 which extends below the branch from the bottom of the nest ; 

 the lower portion of the stem is ragged at the end, and just 

 sufficient web placed around it to hold together the fine shreds of 



