i8 
THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA 
6. Olive-backed Oriole Oriolus sagittatus Latham 
sa-git-ta'-tus— L., sagittatus, marked with arrows. 
distribution. Northern, eastern, and southern Australia to as far 
south as Adelaide. 
notes. Also called Green Thrush and Cedar Pigeon. Usually in 
pairs or flocks according to the seasons of the year, frequenting the 
open forest or brush and showing a preference for the latter as it 
affords an abundant supply of food, consisting of native fruits, berries, 
and insects. It is a splendid songster, possessing a varied series of 
melodious notes; it is also an excellent mimic. 
nest. A deep, open, cup-shaped structure, composed of strips of 
stringy-bark, bark-fibre, or paper bark, interwoven with leaves; 
occasionally it is decorated with lichen and spiders’ webs and egg-bags; 
lined with dried grasses. Usually placed in the outer drooping branch 
of a tree, up to 60 feet from the ground. 
eggs. Two to four, usually three, pale cream-colour, spotted and 
blotched with light and dark umber and slate-grey markings, particu¬ 
larly at the larger end. Breeding-season: September to the end of 
December or January. 
7. Fig-bird Sphecotheres vieilloti Vigors and Horsfield—7A. Female 
Sphec-o-ther'-es— Gk, sphex, sphecos, wasp; Gk, theras , I hunt: vieilloti 
—Louis Jean Pierre Vieillot (1748-1831), a celebrated French 
ornithologist. 
distribution. Eastern Australia, from Cairns (northern Queens¬ 
land) to Sydney (New South Wales). 
notes. Also called Mulberry-bird and Banana-bird. Usually in 
pairs, frequenting the big scrubs, brushes, and open forests. It is 
exceptionally active and noisy, constantly uttering its peculiar parrot¬ 
like notes; generally observed feeding in fruit and berry-bearing trees. 
It also visits orchards, chiefly devouring mulberries, figs, bananas, 
papaws, loquats, and guavas. 
nest. An open, shallow structure, composed of vine-tendrils or stems 
of climbing plants and a few twigs. Although only a scanty structure, 
through which the eggs are easily seen from beneath, it is strongly 
built into the forked horizontal leafy twigs of an outer branch of a 
tree, at heights up to 70 feet from the ground. 
eggs. Usually three, varying from pale apple-green to dull olive- 
green, spotted all over, but more so at the larger end, with reddish or 
purplish-brown markings. Breeding-season: October to December or 
January. 
8. Yellow Fig-bird Sphecotheres flaviventris Gould—8A. Female 
fldv-i-ven'-tris—L., flavus , yellow; L., venter, belly. 
distribution. Northern Territory and northern Queensland. 
notes. Also called Yellow-breasted Fig-bird. Usually in pairs or 
small parties, frequenting both scrub and open forest-lands. Very 
