62 
THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA 
PLATE X 
BIRDS OF THE OPEN FOREST 
(Some Permanent Residents) 
1. Robust Whistler Pachycephala robusta Masters — 1A. Female 
Pacti-y-ccph-al-a — Gk, pachys, thick ; Gk, cep hale, head : rd-bus-ta — L., 
robustus , strong. 
Distribution. — Tropical northern Australia, from Parry Harbour 
(north-western Australia) to Cape York (northern Queensland). 
Notes. — Also known as the Big-billed Whistler and Big-billed Thick- 
head. It is found chiefly in the coastal districts and on all the islands 
along the coast on which there is any scrub. Its call-notes are similar 
to those of the other Yellow-breasted Whistlers. Food: insects. 
Nest. — Cup-shaped, composed of rootlets held together with cobwebs ; 
lined with fine rootlets. Usually built in an upright fork of a tree. 
Eggs. — Two or three, stone or buff-coloured, spotted with dark brown 
or umber, with a well-defined zone at the larger end. Breeding-season: 
November and December. 
2. Black-tailed Whistler Pachycephala melanura Gould — 2 A. Female 
mel'-an-ur-a — Gk, melas (melanos) , black; ura (owra), tail. 
Distribution. — North-western Australia, from Point Cloates to Derby. 
Notes. — Mostly found in coastal forests and mangrove swamps. 
This species is placed here for comparison with the Robust Whistler, with 
which it has long been confused. It is very inquisitive, searching for 
insects in debris left by the tides. Call-note similar to, but less powerful 
than that of the Robust Whistler. 
Nest. — Cup-shaped, composed of coarse rootlets; lined with finer 
rootlets, and lightly covered outside with cobwebs. Usually built in an 
upright fork of a mangrove tree. 
Eggs. Two, whitish, spotted with chestnut and underlying spots of 
lavender, with a heavy zone of reddish-brown at the larger end. Breeding- 
season : December (to March?). 
3. Hooded Robin Melanodryas cucullata Latham — 3A. Female 
Mel'-an-o-dry'-as — Gk, melas ( melanos ), black; Gk, dryas , a dryad: 
cu-cul-la-ta — L., cucullatus, hooded. 
Distribution. — Australia generally (except northern Queensland). 
