SPOTTED CAT-BIRD. 
appearance; middle of the belly, abdomen and under tail-coverts white, tinged 
with yellowish-green ; under-surface of wings ash-brown, shaded with grey towards 
the base. Eyes chestnut, bill creamy-white, feet dark grey. Total length 290 mm. ; 
culmen 28, wing 158, tail 110, tarsus 48. Figured. Collected at Atherton, near 
Cairns, North Queensland, in September, 1908. 
Adidt male. Similar to the adult female. 
Eggs. Two to three eggs form the clutch, usually two. A clutch of two eggs, taken 
at Atherton, North Queensland, on the 4th of December, 1908, is of a cream colour, 
and not so dark as is the case with those of A. orassirostris. Ovals in shape. Surface 
of shell rather smooth, fine and glossy. 40-41 by 29 mm. 
Nest. A large, open, comparatively deep structure, composed of large leaves (both dead 
and green) and twigs, roots, etc., and lined with tbin twigs, tendrils, etc. Closely 
resembles the nest of A. crasairostris. Dimensions over all, 8^ to 9J inches across 
by 4 to about 6^ inches in depth. Egg cavity, to 6 inches across by 2 to 2J inches 
deep. Nest is generally placed near the top of a bushy sapling or small tree in the 
dense scrub, and at heights varying from 8 to 20 feet or more. 
Breeding-months. September to end December. 
When Ramsay described this new species he gave a note : “ Its note resembles 
that of M. smithi, but has not so distinct a cry, and less bat-hke, clearer, and 
more of a whistle. They assemble in small flocks of from ten to twenty in 
number, and frequent the plains and native fruit trees in company with 
Ptilonopics superbus and Carpophaga assimilis. They are also found feeding 
in the immense fig trees which abound m the scrub.” 
The next year, m his account of the birds, he re-wrote it thus : “ This 
interesting species appears to take the place of the smithi of New South 
Wales. We foimd it feeding on the fruit of the native figs, in small families 
of four to eight in number. The note is more of a whistle than a cry of any 
kind.” 
Le Souef has noted: “ The curious harsh note (not resembling the cat¬ 
like cry of the southern bird) of the Spotted Cat-Bu’d was often heard in the 
scrub, and several nests were found. They appear to prefer building near 
the top of a slender tree, about fifteen feet from the ground, although on one 
occasion we fomid one within two feet, built on a creeper, but that wa.s an 
exception.” 
Jackson records this species as common in the Barron River VaUey and 
found many nests and eggs, but gives httle information about their habits, 
writing: “ It is distinctly noticeable that these birds seem to fancy the neigh¬ 
bourhood of the Tooth-bfiled Bower-Bird’s bower for a nesting place ; in fact, 
they seem to be first cousins. I noticed that the Spotted Cat-Bird utters three 
distinct kinds of notes, and one of these is a sound only occasionally given 
and resembling almost a faint sneeze, thus: ‘ Pit-pit-pit,’ but the most 
common cry of the three is very like their native name ‘ Chigua-ah.’ The 
third cry is a longer one.” 
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