THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
plants. The height from the ground, the dull light, and the density of the 
foliage make it a difficult matter to follow a bird’s movements. It seems to 
feed mostly by picking insects from oh the leaves, and finds its living at a 
much higher level than Kempiella. The usual note is a loud, clear whistle, 
of from five to ten notes, and, as a call, two short ones. The stomachs of 
specimens obtained contained mostly small beetles. Mr. McLennan, after 
we left, found a young bird that had evidently dropped from the nest ; the 
bird was in a tangle of lawyer vines, but no nest could be located.” 
Upon meeting with the New Guinea form, Claude Grant noted : “ This 
species was by no means common. It had much the same habits and appear- 
ance as the Spotted Flycatcher (of Europe).” 
When I wrote the note dealing with Macgillivray’s specimens, I admitted 
two subspecies, one from Cape York and the other from Cairns. Recently 
Campbell has stated that there was no subspecific difference to be seen, but 
his other notes at the same time disqualify his judgment, such as his inquiry 
whether difference in size or colour constitute a subspecific distinction. Sub- 
species are simply geographical variations, and consequently size may 
differentiate one form, difference in colour another, and both size and 
difference in colour a third. A distinction not easily noted in single specimens 
may become very obvious when series are compared. In this family sub- 
species are numerous and easily determined when series are available, and 
consequently the identity subspecifically of peninsulce and inornata cannot be 
regarded as proven. 
From a further consideration of Campbell’s account of the nests found 
at Cardwell, it is possible that they were referable to Pachycephala queenslandica 
and not to this species at all, especially the one with the “ red ” young in. 
268 
