THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
coverts, and outer margins of flight-quills ; bastard-wing, primary-coverts and 
inner-webs of flight-quills blackish-brown; tail black with yellowish-white tins 
to the feathers increasing in extent on the outermost; a pale yellow moustacial 
streak along the sides of the face ; chin, throat, and fore-neck glossy steel-blue • 
breast, abdomen, sides of body, thighs, vent, and under tail-coverts orange-yellow • 
a patch of bright orange on each side of the breast; axillaries pale yellow ■ under 
wing-coverts whitish tinged with yellow ; under-surface of flight-quills blackish- 
brown, somewhat paler on the margins ; lower aspect of tail similar to its upper- 
surface. Bill and feet black, eyes dark brown. Total length 110 mm.; eulmen 
21, wing 57, tail 35, tarsus 16. Figured. Collected at Cairns, North Queensland 
in August, 1908, and is the type of Ginnyris frenata olivei. 
Adult female. Differs from the adult male in the absence of the glossy steel-blue on the 
chin, throat and breast. General colour of the upper-parts dull old-gold-yellow 
including the top of the head, sides of face, hind-neck, sides of neck, entire back 
upper tail-coverts, scapulars, upper wing-coverts, and outer margins of flight- 
quills ; bastard-wing and flight-quills blackish-brown ; tail black with yellowish- 
white tips to the feathers, which are most extensive on the outermost feathers • 
chin, throat, breast, abdomen, sides of body, thighs, under tail-coverts, and 
axillaries orange-yellow ; under wing-coverts white, more or less tinged with yellow; 
under-surface of flight-quills blackish-brown ; lower aspect of tail similar to its upper- 
surface. Bill and feet black, eyes brown. Total length 105 mm.; eulmen 20 
wing 54, tail 33, tarsus 16. Figured. Collected at Cairns, North Queensland’ 
in October, 1908. 
The female differs in being uniform yellow on the under-surface, lacking the coloured 
throat and yellow side feathers. 
Immature male. General colour of the upper-parts yellowish-green, including the top 
of the head, sides of face, entire back, scapulars, upper tail-coverts, and upper wing- 
coverts ; bastard-wing and inner-webs of flight-quills blackish-brown margined with 
white on the latter ; tail blackish with yellowish-white tips to the lateral feathers; 
an indication of a yellowish-white superciliary line ; the approach of adult plumage 
is seen on the lores, cheeks, chin, throat, and fore-neck, where the feathers are black, 
glossed with steel-blue reflections, intermixed with yellow; remainder of cheeks’ 
breast, abdomen, sides of body, thighs, and under tail-coverts yellow ; under wing- 
coverts cream-white ; under-surface of flight-quills hair-brown ; lower aspect of 
tail similar to its upper-surface, but the yellowish-white portion more conspicuous. 
Eggs. Two to three eggs form the clutch. A clutch of three taken at Lockerbie, Cape 
York, North Queensland, on the 28th of November, 1910, is of a pale greenish-grey 
ground-colour, speckled and mottled nearly all over, and particularly at the Larger 
end of each egg, with umber. Lengthened ovals in shape ; surface of shell smooth 
and slightly glossy. 16-17 mm. by 11. 
Nest. A long oval structure, and usually with a very long tail to it, and with entrance on 
the side. Most frequently suspended on the twig of a small bush, and often close 
to the ground. Sometimes the nest is fastened to suspended pieces of rope and 
other suitable material hanging about homesteads in the bush, especially in 
verandahs. The body of the nest is about 7 inches long, and the tail, which is 
additional, varies from 2 to 8 inches or more. Width of nest at widest part, 2J to 
nearly 3 inches. Entrance of nest is almost 3 inches from the top, and well on 
the centre of body, and measures nearly one inch across. It is constructed of pieces 
of bark, fine roots, dead leaves, cobwebs, etc., and lined with a very soft material. 
Breeding-months. September to end January. (February). 
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