342 Passeres. BIRDS. Laniid.®. 
apparently a migratory species. It is a small bird, 
of a gray colour above and white beneath, with the 
sides of the tail white, and is generally seen in small 
flocks consisting of four or five pairs. Its food con- 
sists of insects, which it seeks upon the branches of 
the trees. When disturbed, it emits a sharp cry, but also 
possesses a fine mellow note ; for the sake, of which it 
is sometimes kept in confinement. 
THE CAYENNE GREEN SHRIKE [Cyclorhis guia- 
nensis), an inhabitant of tropical South America, is 
about six inches in length, and of a green colour, with 
the head gray, and the forehead and a stripe on each 
side of the head red. In the thick forests, this bird 
haunts the upper branches of the trees, but is also met 
with upon the vast plains or camjpos of the interior of 
Brazil, and here dwells contentedly in low bushes. It 
is a solitary bird, but is active in its habits, constantly 
moving about amongst the branches in pursuit of the 
insects which constitute its food. 
THE CRESTED SHRIKE-TIT [Falcunculusfrontatus). 
Among the Australian species of this family, the 
species of the genus Falcuncultis are remarkable as 
presenting a striking analogical relationship to the 
Tits. The present species, which is the most abun- 
dant and best known, is an inhabitant of New 
South Wales and South Australia, where it haunts 
both the thick brushes and the trees in the open 
plains. It is an active and sprightly bird, display- 
ing great agility in pursuit of the insects which 
constitute its food, and which it captures on the 
branches and trunks of the trees, often stripping off 
the bark in search of beetles which feed beneath it. 
In this operation, the great strength of its beak is very 
serviceable ; and so powerful is this organ that the 
bird is able to break up and devour even the large 
Cicadse which abound in Australia. 
The Crested Shrike-Tit is about six inches in length. 
Its head is adorned with a crest of black plumes, below 
wliich on each side is a broad streak of white passing- 
over the eye ; the forehead is white, and a second White 
sti-eak passes beneath the eye, separated from that 
above by a broad black band ; the chin and throat 
are black ; the upper surface is olive-coloured, the 
quill feathers of the wings and tail are blackish-brown, 
margined with gray, and the whole lower surface ia 
bright yellow. The bill is black, and the feet are 
bluish gray. The only note of this bird is a low 
piping. The nest, according to M. Verreaux, is 
firmly attached to the twigs of trees, and composed of 
small sticks and strips of bark. 
THE WHITE BELLIED SHRIKE-TIT {Falcunculns 
leiicogasler) is a native of Western Australia, where it 
represents the preceding species, presenting a close 
general resemblance to it both in appearance and 
habits. The principal differences consist in the colour- 
ing of various parts of the plumage, but especially in 
the whiteness of the abdomen and legs. 
THE CRESTED BELL-BIRD {Oreo'ica gutturalis), 
which is also an inhabitant of Australia, is about seven 
inches in lengtli, and of a light brown colour, with 
the wings and tail darker ; the male has the face and 
chill white, the breast marked with a large deep -black 
crescent of which the horns reach up nearly' to the e}^ 
on each side, and the head adorned with a very full crest, 
which is deep-black in front and gray behind. The 
range of this bird extends over the whole southern por- 
tion of Australia, but it has not yet been found in Van 
Diemen’s Land. In Swan Biver it is called the Bell- 
bird by the colonists; the true Bell-bird of New South 
Wales {Mysaniha melanoplirys) being wanting in that 
colony. It is found in the open parts of the forest, 
and passes a good deal of its time on the ground. Its 
note is described by Mr. Gould as a peculiar, mournful 
piping, and it is also a ventriloquist of great power, 
its note often sounding as if at a considerable distance, 
when in reality the bird is perched upon the branch or 
a neighbouring tree, and then gradually increasing ir‘ 
volume until it appears to be just over the head of the 
hearer. Its favourite food consists of grtibs and cater- 
pillars, in search of which it frequently resorts to newly- 
ploughed land. The nest of this species is usually 
placed in a grass tree, and is composed of strips of bark, 
and lined with dry grass. It lays three eggs, which 
are generally of a bluish-white colour, speckled or 
streaked and spotted with black. 
THE PORT- JACKSON THRUSH {Colluricinda har- 
monica) an inhabitant of New South Wales and South 
Australia, measures about nine inches in length, and is 
of an olive-brown colour above, with the head and tail 
grayish, and the wings slat}^ black ; the lower surface 
is light brownish-gray, becoming white at the vent. It 
hauntg the brushes in all parts of the country in which 
it is found, and is an active bird, hopping about amongst 
the branches and feeding upon caterpillars, grubs, and 
other insects. Whilst engaged in the pursuit of its 
prey, the bird gives utterance to a number of powerful 
swelling notes, louder than those of the European Song- 
thrush, but less varied, and not so well combined into 
a song. The nest is placed in various situations, such 
as the hollow bole of a small tree, the decayed branch of 
a larger one, or on the ledge of a rock; it is cup-shaped, 
composed of strips of bark and leaves, and lined with 
root-fibres. The eggs, which are three in number, are 
pearly white, with a few larger blotches of light-brown 
and bluish-gray. 
Several nearly allied species are found in different 
parts of Australia; thus the Buff-bellied Thrush 
{C. rufiventris) inhabits the Swan River colony, where 
it is known as the Thrush by the settlers ; the Brown 
Thrush ( C. hrunnea) occurs at Port-Essington ; and 
Selby’s Thrush {G. Selhii) in Van Diemen’s Land. 
THE SPOTTED BATARA {Thamnophilus ncevius ). — 
Numerous species of Shrikes belonging to the genus 
Thamnophilus have been found in the tropical parts of 
South America ; they differ from the ordinary Shrikes 
in the greater length and slenderness of the bill, which 
is also less strongly hooked at the tip. They have been 
called Bataras, from the name applied by the Guaranis 
to the species common in their country. 
The Spotted Batara, one of the earliest known spe- 
cies, is rather more than six inches in length. It is 
black above, with white spots on the back and wing- 
coverts ; the quill feathers are margined with white, 
and those of the tail have white tips ; the lower surface 
is ash colour. This bird inhabits Cayenne and Brazil, 
dwelling amongst the bushes, usually in pairs, and 
