YELLOW-BELLIED EIG BIRD. 
jonquil-yellow of its under-surface. Mr. Macgillivray informed me that it is 
very common in the neighbourhood of Cape York, where he daily observed it 
either in pairs or in small parties of three or four individuals, which were 
generally very shy and difficult of approach. It frequents the open forest 
land in company with the Tropidorhynchus argenticeps, and resorts to the 
branches for its food, which consists of fruit of various kinds, such as figs, etc. 
His specimens were procured by keeping himself carefully concealed beneath 
one of its favourite feeding trees and watching until an opportunity offered 
of getting a shot. He once saw several nests which he had no doubt belonged 
to this species ; nearly all of them were built among the topmost branches 
of very large gum trees, which he could not induce the natives to attempt 
to climb ; a deserted nest was, however, within reach, being placed on an 
overhanging branch not more than twenty feet from the ground ; it measured 
about a foot in diameter, and was composed of small sticks lined with finer 
ones. As is the case with other members of the genus, the sexes offer a 
marked difference in colour.” 
Barnard wrote from Cape York : “ Very plentiful in forest country, and 
nested chiefly in Moreton Bay ash in company with the Tropidorhynchus 
buceroides .” 
Campbell and Barnard, writing of Herberton birds, omitted to give much 
detail, contenting themselves as follows : “ These beautiful yellow-breasted 
birds, with scarlet ‘ facings ’ are as common as Canaries. They love the 
precincts of dwellings, and frequently breed in the trees of gardens. The 
birds are very noisy at times, and their chicken-like chirpings are a bit 
monotonous, especially at daybreak.” 
Macgillivray wrote : “ The Yellow-bellied Eig Bird was common all 
through from Cooktown. At the Claudie it frequented both scrub and open 
forest. This species usually nests in the same tree as the Drongo and 
Helmeted Eriar Bird, in the open forest. It feeds mostly upon wild fruits. 
A few were noted on the Archer River.” 
Though apparently not very rare, very little has been written about this 
form, even in its extra-limital range. 
In my “ Reference List ” I separated the Australian forms into three, thus : 
Sphecotheres fiaviventris fiaviventris Could. 
Cape York, Queensland. 
Sphecotheres fiaviventris audoni Mathews. 
Cairns, Queensland. 
“Larger than S. /. fiaviventris , and brighter coloration below.” 
Sphecotheres fiaviventris ashbyi Mathews. 
Alli gator River, Northern Territory. 
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