THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
districts forming its usual place of resort. A low whistling note, frequently 
uttered by the males, is, in all probability, indicative of the season of love. 
On the approach of winter it retires northwards, and returns again the following 
August or September. It is a most active bird ; in fact, all its actions are 
characterised by great liveliness ; for even while in a state of comparative 
repose, or when not actually in pursuit of insects, it displays a constant tremulous 
motion of the tail, by which means its presence is often betrayed when it would 
otherwise remain unnoticed.” 
Mr. T. P. Austin has written me from Cobbora, N.S.W. : 44 A very rare 
visitor to this district, but I have seen a few pairs during the spring and summer 
months, but always met with in the branches of the larger trees, and I have 
never seen it low down in the undergrowth. One’s attention is usually drawn 
to it by its peculiar grating notes, which somewhat resemble certain species 
of frogs ; they penetrate the forests for some considerable distance, and when 
uttered are always accompanied by a trembling motion of the tail, but it has 
this habit also without uttering a sound.” 
Mr. F. E. Howe has written me : 44 Myiagra rubecula makes its appearance 
at Ringwood in September or early in October, and in November the nest is 
generally found containing the clutch of three eggs. Both parents help in the 
task of making the nest, but we have only noticed the female sitting, though we 
have seen the male feeding her on the nest. This nest only contained one egg 
and the hen was evidently laying, but subsequently deserted the nest. Nests 
have been noticed placed as low as fifteen feet, but another was at an altitude 
of about forty feet. This and Myiagra nitida raise the tail quickly in an 
up-and-down motion.” 
Mr. Tom Tregellas has sent me a note, as follows, drawing attention to the 
similarity of calls between Ptilotis leucotis and this bird : 44 At Selby, on Dec. 23, 
1911, and again on Feb. 9, 1912, in the Olinda locality, my two boys and I remarked 
the great similarity in the calls of these two birds. The White-eared Honey- 
eaters were high up in the tops of the gums catching insects, and the Flycatchers 
were in the same trees engaged in the same occupation. Again and again we 
were misled by the calls of the birds, and it was only by watching the oscillating 
tail (very distinctive of the bird) of the Flycatchers as they flitted from twig to 
twig that we were enabled to distinguish the one from the other. We thought 
the matter so important that we made a special study of it before committing 
it to paper, and satisfied ourselves beyond all doubt on this point. The calls 
were generally emitted by the Flycatchers when alighting after a short flight, 
and those of the Honey-eater when perched and on the look out for flies. It 
was the harsh, grating call of the Flycatcher that both birds used, and was 
repeated a great number of times during the day.” 
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