THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
The confusion of subspecies with species is responsible for the following 
account by Gould under the heading of C. brunnea, : “ This bird is abundantly 
dispersed over the Cobourg Peninsula, and is to be met with in all the forests 
in the immediate neighbourhood of Port Essington and the north coast 
generally, in which distant localities it represents the Golluricincla harmonica 
of New South Wales, the G. Selhii of Tasmania, and the G. rufiventris of 
Western Australia. As might be expected, its habits, manners, and general 
economy are very similar to those of the other species of the genus : 
consequently the description of those of G. harmonica is equally descriptive 
of those of G. brunnea .” 
Very little has been recorded of the habits of this species. 
Mr. J. P. Rogers wrote me from Melville Island : “ Cooper’s Camp, 
Nov. 20, 1911. This species is numerous in the forest country here. 
Usually they feed on the ground but are only found in the forest. Dec. 16, 
1911. Are still numerous in the forest country. Jan. 14, 1912. 10 miles 
S.E. of Snake Bay. This species is not so numerous here as at Cooper’s 
Camp. Feb. 5, 1912. Cooper’s Camp again. Still very numerous here.” 
Whitlock has recorded from the Pilbarra Goldfields : “ Rare and 
extremely local. I only met with three pairs — two of them in the same 
creek and near the old nests of Uroaetu-s audax ; the others in a creek some 
miles away. I found one nest ; the eggs, however, were unfortunately 
damaged through a twig falling into the nest. It was blowing a gale at the 
time. I shot a pair, as I thought I could detect differences in the song and 
that the general appearance of the birds was less robust than that of south- 
western birds.” (Are these G. rufiventris murchisoni ?) 
As this species does not occur in the south-west there is probably some 
confusion here, as in the next case I quote. Berney has written : “ Among 
the gidea scrubs on the basalt ranges on Spring Valley I often saw this species 
. . . Although it possesses a variety of notes, many of them very liquid 
and sweet, it cannot, as far as my experience goes, be credited with having 
a song.” 
Then G. F. Hill recorded from the Kimberley District, North-west 
Australia : “ A common species in most localities. Lizards were found in 
many of the birds dissected.” 
Macgillivray has written : “ Brown Shrike-Thrush (G. brunnea). Mr. 
McLennan collected two specimens in the Gulf country, both of which Mr. 
Mathews refers to this species. They differ very considerably from one 
another, and until a large series of skins is examined and more observations 
made in a state of nature I would not consider the matter settled. Mr. North 
also refers both these to C. brunnea. They are fairly common in the Gulf 
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