BLACK-BREASTED FLYCATCHER. 
Adult female. Crown of head and sides of face velvety-black ; a band on the hind-neck 
white with blackish tips to the feathers ; sides of neck, back, wings and tail black ; 
apical portion of flight-quills blackish-brown ; upper tail-coverts and tail black ; 
scapulars and feathers of the rump greyish-white with blackish bases ; rictal 
bristles black ; throat-patch white, much more restricted than in the male, with 
black hair-like tips to the feathers ; fore-neck and breast black ; much more 
extended than in the male ; abdomen, lower flanks, under tail-coverts, and axillaries 
white ; sides of body dusky ; thighs and under wing-coverts blackish ; under- 
surface of quills dark brown ; lower aspect of tail blackish. Eyes dark brown, rim 
round eye light blue, bill light slate-blue, feet and legs blue-grey. Total length 
150 mm. ; culmen 10, wing 79, tail 74, tarsus 22. Figured. Collected at Cairns, 
North Queensland, in October 1902. 
Immature. “Are duller in colour than the female, and have the lower portion of the 
back and the rump brownish-grey ; upper tail-coverts blackish-brown ; wings 
and tail brown ; the feathers on the hind-neck being broadly tipped with dull 
black, and those on the chin and throat having brownish-black bases giving it a 
mottled appearance ; band on the breast dusky-brown, with pale brown tips to 
most of the feathers ; bill yellowish-brown at the base, blackish-brown at the 
tip.” (North.) 
Nest. Open basket or hammock-shaped, swung on two sides from two parallel twigs of a 
vine. Composed of tendrils or dried part of small plants and bound together 
with cobweb, and decorated with lichen and lined with fine rootlets. Outside 
measurements 2\ to 2| inches by 2 deep. Inside 2 by 1| deep. 
Eggs. Clutch, two. Whitish, spotted, more at the larger end, with reddish and lavender 
spots. 19-21 mm. by 14. 
Breeding-season. November to January. 
Ramsay’s notes read : “ On a better acquaintance with this species I find its 
habits closely resemble those of Rhipidura, albiscapa, especially in spreading 
its tail, creeping and hopping, with its wings half open, about on the trunks of 
the trees, often head downwards, searching under leaves and loose bark for 
insects, or darting out here and there to capture one on the wing. Its actions 
are lively and pleasing in the extreme ; and when close by, the blue ring around 
the eye is plainly visible and conspicuous. This species is not rare, but seems to 
frequent the same parts of the dense scrubs throughout the whole season. I 
noticed several pairs in the Herbert River brushes, and frequently returned to 
the same place day after day to watch them and wait for Casuaries (sic ) ; at 
such times I had ample opportunities of studying the habits and actions of 
many other species, which would frequently come within a few feet of me, and 
in more than one instance perched on my hat.” 
Messrs. Campbell and Barnard, also writing about Rockingham Bay birds, 
state : “ We observed Red Flycatchers in various phases of plumage — a reason 
why northern collectors have somewhat confused the species. These are very 
lively and showy little creatures, and were sometimes seen hunting a tree bole 
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