39 
The locality of the bird described by me in the Proceedings of 
the Zoological Society, Part IY. p. 6, as Colluricincla fusca , being still 
unknown, that species has not been included. 
Genus Falcunculus. 
The two species of this genus are not only strictly Australian, but 
are confined to the southern parts of the country ; the F. frontatus 
inhabiting New South Wales and South Australia, and the F. leuco - 
gaster Western Australia. When attacked by their natural enemies 
or by man, both species defend themselves with their powerful bill 
and claws with the utmost fury ; they also by the same means readily 
tear off pieces of rotten wood and the thin scaly bark of the Fucct- 
lypti in search of insects. The branches of trees are their usual 
place of resort, and in many of their actions and habits they closely 
resemble the Tits of Europe and India (genus Pams'), while they 
also assimilate to the Pachycephalce. They build a round, cup- 
shaped nest. 
125. Falcunculus frontatus Yol. II. PI. 79. 
126. Falcunculus leucogaster, Gould Yol. II. PI. 80. 
Mr, Gilbert states that while staying in the Toodyay district of 
Western Australia in the month of October, he found the nest of 
this species among the topmost and weakest perpendicular branches 
of a Eucalyptus, at a height of at least fifty feet : it was of a deep 
cup-shaped form, composed of the stringy bark of the gum-tree, 
and lined with fine grasses, the whole matted together externally 
with cobwebs ; the eggs, which are three or four in number, are of 
a glossy white with numerous minute speckles of dark olive most 
thickly disposed at the larger end ; they are seven- eighths of an 
inch long by five-eighths of an inch in breadth. He adds, that 
under ordinary circumstances it is a somewhat shy bird, but when 
breeding becomes bold and familiar; as an evidence of which he 
adduces the fact that a hock of sheep were driven every night 
beneath the tree upon which the nest was being constructed without 
giving the least alarm to the birds. 
Genus Oreoica. 
Generic characters. 
shorter than the head, stout, compressed laterally, and notched 
at the tip ; culmen bent gradually downwards from the base ; lower 
mandible nearly as stout as the upper ; nostrils basal, round, and 
nearly covered with very fine short hair-like feathers directed for- 
wards, among which are intermingled a few long fine hairs ; wings 
rather long, the first quill short, the third the longest; tertiaries 
very long, and nearly equalling the primaries ; tail short and very 
slightly rounded ; tarsi moderately long and stout, entire posteriorly, 
and defended anteriorly with hard scuta; feet adapted for the 
ground ; toes very short, particularly the hind one, inner toe rather 
shorter than the outer ; claws short, and nearly straight. 
The only species known of this form is strictly Australian, and is 
