BIRDS OF THE OPEN FOREST 
65 
Nest .—A small, open structure, composed of bark and pieces of 
leaves bound together with cobwebs; generally placed on a branch of a 
mangrove tree. 
Egg .—Pale bluish-grey, spotted all over with chestnut and underlying 
markings of purple, particularly at the larger end, where an irregular zone 
is formed. Breeding-season: October. 
10. Northern Shrike-tit Falcunculus whitci Campbell 
Fal-curi-cur-lus- —L., falcunculus, little falcon: whitei — H. L. White, Bell- 
trees, Scone, New South Wales. 
Distribution. —North-western Australia and Northern Territory. 
Notes .—Similar in habits to the Eastern Shrike-tit, but difficult to 
locate because of its subdued notes. 
Nest .—A compact, deep, cup-shaped structure, composed of strips of 
stringy-bark, matted together with cobwebs; lined with grass and thin 
strands of fine bark. Usually built near the top of the tallest upright 
branches of a gum sapling up to 50 feet from the ground. 
Eggs. —Two, white, finely marked with spots of dark olive, with 
underlying markings of pale grey. Breeding-season: August to January 
or February. 
11. Eastern Shrike-tit Falcunculus frontatus Latham 
front-a-tus —L., frontatus {frons ), with conspicuous forehead. 
Distribution .—Eastern and south-eastern Australia. 
Notes .—Also called Bark-tit, Yellow-hammer, Frontal Shrike-tit, and 
Falcon-shrike. Plentiful in tall timber and saplings. Usually in pairs or 
small parties; by no means shy, as it fearlessly searches for' food. Does 
great service in orchards, eating codlin moths, cockchafer beetles, and 
other pests. The “Knock-at-the-door, knock-at-the-door” call is frequently 
uttered; in addition it has a succession of sweet and high-pitched call- 
notes. 
Nest .—Similar to that of the Northern Shrike-tit. Before building, 
these birds break the green bark with their strong bills; the sun then causes 
the broken bark to curl back, thus forming hooks which help to hold the 
nest in position. 
Eggs .—‘Two to three, white, marked with minute spots of dark olive 
and pale grey. Breeding-season: August to January. 
12. Western Shrike-tit Falcunculus leucogaster Gould 
leuc-o-gas-ter- —Gk, leucos, white; Gk, gaster, belly. 
Distribution. —South-western Australia only. 
Notes. Similar in habits to the Eastern Shrike-tit. Hangs from 
slender twigs like a Honey-eater in search of insects, and tears off loose 
strips of bark under which spiders spin their cocoons. Call-note, a single 
Ko or Koo very softly uttered. Another description is a plaintive 
whistling note like a faint “Poo-oo-pee-e.” 
