NORTHERN FANTAIL. 
Gilbert’s notes, as given by Gonld, simply state : “It is abundant in all parts 
of the Cobourg Peninsula, and that it is to be met with in every variety of 
situation ; that it is usually seen in pairs, and that it secludes itself during 
the heat of the day amidst the dense thickets of mangroves.” 
Mr. J. P. Rogers wrote from Melville Island: “Nov. 15, 1911. Cooper’s 
Camp. So far this is the only member of this genus seen on the island. They 
are numerous, and distributed both in the forest and in the mangroves, but 
do not seem to stay in the dense mangrove thickets, only on the outskirts. 
Jan. 14, 1912. 10 miles S.E. of Snake Bay, this species was not so numerous 
here as at Cooper’s Camp, while on Eeb. 4, 1912, they were still as numerous at 
the latter locality.” 
Macgillivray recorded : “ Numerous on the Gregory River all the way 
down to Burketown, this fine, large Fantail does not occur at Cape York, and 
probably not on the eastern coast at all. During the two years that Mr. 
McLennan was at Cape York he saw no sign of it.” 
Later he wrote : “ The Northern Eantail is a bird of the open forest, 
frequenting the smaller trees. Near the sandalwood landing on the Claudie, 
where there were small clumps of tea-tree in open forest, we came across several 
pairs, and an old nest was noted about 20 feet up in a small tree. It was a 
small cup-shaped structure, placed on a horizontal branch, and composed of fine 
bark and fibres bound together with spider webs. Mr. McLennan found a nest 
5 feet from the ground in a small wattle in open forest on the 15th December ; 
it contained two slightly incubated eggs. On the Archer River Mr. McLennan 
found this species to be fairly plentiful.” 
G. F. Hill wrote of the birds of Kimberley, North-west Australia : 
“ Although not numerous, this species was seen in all localities. No decided- 
preference in the choice of nesting sites was noticed. Some nests were built 
in acacia scrub 3 or 4 feet from the ground, while others were found at a height 
of from 70 to 75 feet. From one to three eggs are laid. The nests closely 
resemble those of B. albiscapa .” 
Campbell and Barnard, dealing with Cardwell birds, concluded : “ The 
Northern Fantail is found across the northern part of the continent. When 
the late Dr. E. P. Ramsay collected the Rockingham Bay bird he called it 
superciliosa. But in his subsequent ‘ Tabular List ’ he dropped the name in 
favour of Gould’s isura, because he found the birds ‘ are identical.’ In this 
we concur. We had many opportunities of observing this active and attractive 
little bird which, in habits and mode of nidification, much resembles the familiar 
White-shafted Fantail (B. albiscapa). Their 4 tailed ’ nest was usually placed 
on a naked twig in a low situation in open forest.” 
Later, when Campbell examined other specimens, he corrected this error*. 
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