MYIAGRA 
NITIDA, Gould. 
Shining* Flycatcher. 
Todus Rubecula, Lath. Ind. Orn. Supp., p. xxii., female. 
Red-breasted Tody, Lath. Gen. Syn. Supp., vol. ii. p. 147. — Shaw, Gen. Zool., vol. vhi. p. 126. — Lath. Gen. Hist., 
vol. iv. p. 92, female. 
Myiagra Rubeculoides, Vig. and Horsf. in Linn. Trans., vol. xv. p. 253, female. 
nitida, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Part V. p. 142 ; and in Syn. Birds of Australia, Part IV, male. 
Satin Sparrow, of the Colonists of Van Diemen's Land. 
The Myiagra nitida arrives in Van Diemen's Land about the end of September, commences breeding 
soon after its arrival, rears a somewhat numerous progeny during the months of summer, and departs again 
in February. In performing these migrations it necessarily passes directly over the colonies of South Au- 
stralia and New South Wales, yet it seldom occurs in collections from those countries, and I believe is only 
seen there during the passage. It is a most lively, showy and active bird, darting about from branch to 
branch and sallying forth in the air in pursuit of its insect prey with a most singular, quick, oscillating or 
trembling motion of the tail. 
I experienced but little difficulty in obtaining several of its nests and eggs among the gullies and forest 
lands on the north side of Mount Wellington, particularly those immediately in the rear of New Town, near 
the residence of the Rev. Thomas J. Ewing, who frequently accompanied and aided me in my search. The 
nest is usually placed at the extreme tip of a dead branch, at a height varying from twenty to forty feet 
from the ground. Some nests are formed of a minute species of light green moss, others are constructed of 
fine threads of stringy bark ; all are rendered very warm by a dense lining of soft hair, probably that of 
the opossums or kangaroo rats, and wool, or the soft silk-like threads of the flowering stalks of moss, the 
down of the tree-fern, and the blossoms of many other kinds of plants ; and the outsides of all are very 
similar, being alike ornamented with small pieces of lichen stuck on without any degree of regularity ; 
these different materials are all felted together with cobwebs, or vegetable fibres. The form of the nest 
appears to depend upon the nature of the site upon which it is built : if placed on a level part of the branch, 
the nest is large and high ; if in a fork, then it is a more shallow structure ; in each case the opening is 
as perfect a circle as the nature of the materials will admit : the height varies from two inches to three * 
inches and a quarter, the average breadth of the opening is about one inch and three-quarters, and the 
depth one inch. The eggs are generally three in number, somewhat round in form, and of a greenish white 
spotted and blotched all over with umber brown, yellowish brown, and obscure markings of purplish grey ; 
their medium length is nine lines and breadth seven lines. 
The weight of this bird is nearly three ounces and three-quarters ; the stomach is muscular, and those 
examined contained the remains of dipterous and coleopterous insects. 
The note is a loud piping whistle frequently repeated. 
The male has the lores deep velvety black ; all the upper surface, wings, tail and breast of a rich deep 
blackish green with a metallic lustre ; primaries deep brown ; under surface of the shoulder, abdomen 
and under tail-coverts white ; bill lead-colour at the base, passing into black at the tip ; irides and feet 
black. 
The female, as will be seen on reference to the accompanying Plate, differs considerably from the male ; 
the upper surface being much less brilliant, and the throat and breast of a rich rusty red, a style of 
colouring which is also characteristic of the young males during the first autumn of their existence. 
The figures represent the two sexes of the natural size. 
