53 
obtained it at Celebes, Flores, Lombock, Timor, Sula Island, Sumbawa, Ternate, and Mysol, 
and both lie and other collectors obtained it in New Guinea. Bernstein records it from Gilolo, 
and Gonld and other authors record it from various parts of Australia and New South Wales. 
Ramsay (Proc. Linn. Soc. N. S. W. ii. p. 179) gives its range in Australia as Port Darwin, 
Port Essington, Gulf of Carpentaria, Cape York, Rockingham Bay, Port Denison, Wide Bay 
district, Richmond and Clarence River district, New South Wales, the interior of Australia, Victoria, 
South Australia, West Australia, and the south coast of New Guinea; and Salvadori (Orn. della 
Papuasia, i. p. 401) records it from Torres Straits, New Britain, Duke of York Island, Aru, New 
Guinea, Fly River, Dorey, Andai, Mansinam, Tarawai, Sorong, Salwatti, Mysol, Jobi, Mysori, the 
Moluccas, Halmaheira, Ternate, Batchian, Buru, Ceram, Amboina, Sula, Celebes, Timor, Sumbawa, 
Flores, Lombock, and Java. 
Dr. Meyer says (Ibis, 1879, p. 57) that “in the Minahassa it is only numerous in the east 
monsoon. Near Menado in May, and on the Togian Islands in August. As to the development 
of the lengthened tail-feathers, an examination of a series of specimens proves that, as in the 
analogous case of Prioniturus, the lengthened tail-feathers are narrower ah initio, and are not 
formed by being rubbed off, except at the last stage, which, however, does not touch the principle 
that also here immanent causes affect the shape of these feathers. The same remarks apply to 
II. pMUppinusP 
Rosenberg (J. f. 0. 1864, p. 118) records it from “Amboina, Ceram, Timor, and North 
Australia; 55 and Gould (Handb. B. Austral, i. p. 117) writes respecting its occurrence in Australia 
that “ it arrives in New South Wales and in all the colonies lying within the same degree of latitude 
in August, and departs in March, the intervening period being employed in the duties of incubation 
and of rearing its progeny. During the summer months it is universally spread over the whole 
southern portion of the continent from east to west, and in winter the northern. In South 
Australia and at Swan River it is equally numerous as in New South Wales, generally giving 
preference to the inland districts rather than to those near the coast ; hence it is rarely to be met 
with in the neighbourhood of Perth, while in the York district it is very common. In New 
South Wales I found it especially abundant on the Upper Hunter, and all other parts towards the 
interior, as far as I had an opportunity of exploring.” Mr. E. L. Layard obtained it in New 
Britain, but did not observe any on the Duke of York Islands. 
The best account I find respecting the habits of this bird is that published by the late 
Mr. Gould (Handb. B. of Austral, i. p. 118) as follows “Its favourite resorts during the day 
are the open, arid, and thinly -timbered forests ; and in the evening the banks and sides of rivers, 
where numbers may frequently be seen in company. It almost invariably selects a dead or 
leafless branch whereon to perch, and from which it darts forth to capture the passing insects. 
Its flight somewhat resembles that of the Artami, and although it is capable of being sustained 
for some time, the bird more frequently performs short excursions, and returns to the branch it 
had left. 'A 
“ The eggs are deposited and the young reared in holes made in the sandy banks of rivers or 
any similar situation in the forest favourable for the purpose. The entrance is scarcely larger 
than a mouse-hole, and is continued for a yard in depth, at the end of which is an excavation of 
sufficient size for the reception of the four or five pinky-white eggs, which are ten lines long by 
eight or nine lines broad. The stomach is tolerably muscular, and the food consists of various 
insects, principally Coleoptera and Neuroptera.” 
The specimens figured and described are in my own collection. 
