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POMATOSTOMUS TEMPORALIS. 



TEMPORAL POM A TORHIN US. 



f~N the Apple-tree flats and Eucalyptus forests of New South Wales this species is found in 

 -■- considerable abundance — nearly always in large flocks. 



It very often obtains its food of insects on the ground, but when disturbed, immediately 

 resorts to the trees, which it ascends by a succession of leaps from branch to branch. It possesses 

 very small powers of flight, and uses them only when passing from tree to tree. 



The nest is constructed in the shape of a dome, and is made of long twigs, lined with soft 

 bark and fine grasses. At the entrance, which is in the shape of a spout, the sticks are inclined 

 towards one another, so that ingress is almost impossible without breaking the sticks, whilst egress is very 

 easy. The eggs are four in number, one inch long by nine lines broad. Their colour is buffy -brown, 

 with very fine lines of black, which sometimes encircle the egg, and at other times run diagonally, 

 like the lines in marble. 



The throat, centre of the breast, and a broad line over each eye are white ; lores and 

 ear-coverts, dark brown ; crown of the head and back of the neck, greyish-brown, deepening into dark 

 brown on the back and wing-coverts ; wings, dark brown, the inner webs of the primaries rufous for 

 three-fourths of the way : tail-coverts and tail, black, the latter largely tipped with yellowish-white ; 

 abdomen and flanks, reddish-brown : irides, straw-colour : bill and feet, blackish -brown. 



Habitat : New South Wales. 



POMATOSTOMUS RUBECULUS (Gould). 



UED-BREA STED POM A TORHIN US. 



IN the Northern part of Australia the genus is represented by the present species, which differs 

 very little in appearance or habits from Pomatostomu* Temporalis. It inhabits the open forests, 

 particularly on the Cobourg Peninsula. When disturbed on the ground, it ascends the trees in the 

 same manner as its near congener. It is a very active bird, and when perched on a tree keeps up 

 a noisy chattering. 



The sexes do not differ in outward appearance. 



Throat and stripe over each eye, white ; chest and upper part of abdomen, brownish-red ; 

 stripe from the nostrils through each eye to the occiput, blackish-brown ; crown of head, back, and 

 lower part of abdomen and wings, dark brown, the primaries and secondaries being edged with 

 lighter brown ; tail, black, tipped witli pure white ; irides, straw-colour ; bill and feet, blackish-grey. 



Total length, 9^ inches; bill 1 ^ inch; wing, 4 inches; tail, 4§ inches; tarsi, 1] inch. 



Habitat : Northern part of Australia. 



