LITTLE SHRIKE-THRUSH. 
eye-ring and a line over the eye whitish ; lores, feathers in front of the eye and those 
covering the nostrils also whitish with black hair-like tips ; chin and throat silvery- 
white with black hair-like tips to the feathers and dark bases ; breast, abdomen, 
and sides of body darkisabelline-brown, with dark shaft lines on the breast, becoming 
paler on the lower abdomen, thighs, vent, and under tail-coverts ; axillaries and 
under wing-coverts pale fawn-colour, inclining to white on the marginal coverts ; 
under-surface of flight-quills hair-brown, slightly paler on the margins ; lower 
aspect of tail greyish-brown with white shafts to the feathers, which are somewhat 
paler at the tips. Eyes reddish-brown ; feet and legs leaden-blue. Bill leaden- 
black. Total length 210 mm. ; culmen 20, wing 98, tail 78, tarsus 29. Figured. 
Collected on Melville Island, Northern Territory, on the 25th of November, 1911. 
Adult male. Similar to the adult female. 
Eggs. From two to three for a setting. Swollen oval in shape, ground colour dull white, 
finely and closely marked all over with spots and specks of pale to dark olive-brown, 
and dull purplish-grey, and inclined to become more closely set together towards 
the larger end. Surface of shell fine, smooth and rather glossy. They measure 
25 mm. by 19. Another clutch of two, which have a white ground-colour, have 
scarcely any markings except those forming a cap at the larger end of each 
specimen. 
Nest. Cup-shaped, and composed of strips of bark and placed in a hollow' portion of a 
tree. 
Breeding season. December, January. 
Again Gould must be quoted : 4 4 This species, to which I have given 
the name of parvula , from the circumstance of it being the smallest 
of the genus that has come under my notice, is a native of Port Essington 
and the neighbouring parts of the northern coast of Australia. Gilbert, 
to whose notes I must refer for all that is known about it, states that it is 
4 an inhabitant of the thickets, is an extremely shy bird, and is generally 
seen on or near the ground. Its note is a fine thrush-like tone, very clear, 
loud, and melodious. The stomach is muscular, and the food consists of 
insects of various kinds, but principally of coleoptera.’ ” y 
Owing to the very restricted range of this peculiar form very little has 
been recorded of its habits. 
Mr. J. P. Rogers wrote from Melville Island : 44 Cooper’s Camp. Nov. 
20, 1911. This species is numerous and is usually found in the dense growths 
along the creeks or in the mangroves. The note is a loud whistle which 
slightly resembles that of Colluricincla brunnea. Dec. 16, 1911. Very few 
seen lately. Jan 13, 1912. 10 miles S.E. of Snake Ray. Very common 
here in the swamps and small jungles. Feb. 5, 1912. Cooper’s Camp. 
Very few seen here now.” 
H. L. White has recorded McLennan’ s notes as : 44 King River. Fairly 
plentiful in mangroves. One pair was met with in small patch of scrub a 
mile away from the river. Stomach, remains of beetles.” 
307 
