V 
RIFLE-BIRD. 
River; it was considered there a very rare bird. I have heard of its being 
occasionally met with in the ranges near Gympie. This bird is very siTnilnr 
to Climacteris m its actions. While encamped for some three or four months 
in the ranges of the North Richmond river, the great stronghold of this species, 
I had abundant opportunities of studying its habits, and was struck with the 
similarity of its actions to our Tree-creepers. The young males and females, 
seldom accompanied by more than one adult male in livery, are frequently 
met with together traversing the stems and thick branches of the trees, 
especially those showing signs or in a state of decay. The call-note of the 
adult male is a shrill scream, easily imitated sufficiently to attract its 
attention and cause it to remain until you approach. By this means I 
have frequently watched it closely as it hopped round the bole of some 
decaying tree, or tore off the loose bark in search of insects. Seldom more 
than one adult male is found to every quarter of a square mile of scrub ; 
and so little do they wander about, that it was customary for me to return 
to the same locahty day after day until I had shot the bird, being quite sure 
of hearing him calling if he had not been destroyed in the meantime. These 
old males are usually solitary ; but two or more occasionally meet in some 
favourite feeding tree, w'hen a fight is sure to ensue; for, although closely 
resembling the Climacteris in their actions, they differ in this respect, that they 
may occasionally be found feeding on the fruit of the native tamarind 
[Tamarindus australis). The natives informed me that the Rifle-Bird lays its 
eggs, which are white, in the hollow branch of a tree without making any 
nest whatever — which is not improbable.” 
Mr. Edwin Ashby has written me : “ I have seen both the male and female 
in the ‘ brush ’ of the Blackall Ranges about seventy miles north-west of 
Brisbane at an altitude of 1,500 feet. The bird was exceedingly shy, but its 
cry, sounding like a man clearing his throat, can be heard many times during 
the day in its haunts, and sometimes the bird can be heard searching for grubs 
in large Staghorn and birds-nest ferns, that grow on the tree-trunks 40 to 70 feet 
from the ground, but it is most difficult to get a sight of the bird.” 
Mr. A. G. Campbell has also sent me: “The ‘Big Scrub,’ Richmond River, 
New South Wales, is the home of this splendid bird. The female and young 
male wear coats of a protective brownish colour, but the dress of the male bii’d 
is a rich velvety-black, bespangled on the crown of the head and the chest 
with scale-like feathers of a brilliant metallic-green. The Rifle-Bird hunts for 
its food about the tree trunks and may be seen running up the stem prying into 
every crevice with its long sickle-shaped bill or disappearing into holes in search 
of insects much after the manner of a Tree-creeper. Its call is harsh and 
easily recognised. There is no mistaking the measured ‘ yass-yass ’ of the 
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