YELLOW-BREASTED WHERRYBILL. 
line over the eye along the sides of the crown and joining on the hind-neck, yellow ; 
lores, rictal bristles, and ear-coverts black ; upper wing-coverts blackish-brown, the 
median and greater series tipped with white which forms a double wing-bar ; 
flight-quills blackish with pale edgings to the outer webs and white margins to the 
inner ones ; the feathers on the rump tipped with yellow ; tail blackish tipped 
with white which increases in extent towards the outermost where it occupies the 
entire outer web ; chin, throat, and fore-neck, pure white ; breast and sides of 
body sulphur-yellow with dark markings to the feathers ; middle of abdomen and 
thighs white ; under tail-coverts bright lemon-yellow ; outer margin of wing 
below blackish ; axillaries, under wing-coverts, and inner margins of quills below 
white ; under-surface of flight-quills blackish-brown ; lower aspect of tail blackish 
with white tips to the feathers, similar to the upper side ; eyes brown. Measure- 
ments the same as in the male. Figured. Collected on the Barron River, North 
Queensland, on the 23rd of May, 1912. 
Fledglings. “ Resemble the adult female, but are browner on the upper-parts ; the 
superciliary stripe is duller in colour and almost meets on the occiput ; chin and 
throat white tinged with yellow ; remainder of the under-surface pale yellow, 
becoming slightly lighter on the under tail-coverts.” (North.) 
Nest. “ Saucer-shaped . . . constructed of dried flowering plant stalks, matted together 
with cobwebs, the inner portion consisting entirely of fine dried spiral plant- 
tendrils.” Outside measurements 3 inches by If deep. Inside 2 by a § inch deep. 
(North.) 
Eggs. Clutch, two. White with a zone round the larger end of purplish-red spots. 
17 mm. by 13. 
j Breeding-season. September to December. 
Barnard, recording M . flaviventer from Cape York, wrote: “These birds are 
only found in dense scrubs, and always in pairs. Male bird principally con- 
structs the nest, and keeps up a continual whistling song during the process, 
drawing one’s attention to the nesting site.” 
This was confirmed by Dr. W. Macgillivray : “ Always found in the scrub, 
where it finds its living amongst the leaves and branchlets from within two feet 
of the ground to the tops of the scrub trees, snapping up the insects which cling 
to the leaves. Whilst building the male is constantly calling, at the same time 
lending aid in the construction of the nest. Although the male whistles when 
searching for food, a more persistent whistling is usually an indication that a 
nest is being built.” 
Messrs. Campbell and Barnard, writing of the Cardwell form, comment : 
“ These yellow-breasted, broad-billed birds were very fascinating to observe. 
It would be difficult to believe that a bird with such a comparatively restricted 
habitat really has a second or subspecies, as indicated by Mr. Mathews.” For- 
tunately we are not concerned with “ beliefs,” but are only dealing with facts. 
Bowyer Bower noted of the birds at the Barron River : “ Very tame, and 
has a peculiar note, a pretty little warbling and very characteristic song, by 
which one is able to follow it. Generally sits on a hanging vine between two 
trees, from which it catches flies, always returning to the same spot.” 
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