FALCUNCULUS FRONTATUS, Feit. 
Frontal Shrike-Tit. 
Lanius frontatus, Lath. Ind. Orn., p. xviii—Shaw, Gen. Zool., vol. vii. p. 312.—Temm. Man., Part I. p. lix.—Ib. 
Pl. Col., pl. 77. 
Frontal Shrike, Lath. Gen. Syn. Supp., vol. ii. p. 75, pl. 122.—Ib. Gen. Hist., vol. ii. p. 72, pl. xx. 
Falcunculus frontatus, Vieill. Gal. des Ois., tom. i. pl. 138.—Vig. and Horsf. in Linn. Trans., vol. xv. p. 212.— 
G. R, Gray, List of Gen. of Birds, p. 36.—Less. Traité d’Orn., p. 372. 
Faleunculus flavigulus, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Part V. p. 144 ; and in Syn. Birds of Australia, Part IV., young ? 
I HAD many opportunities of observing this bird, both in New South Wales and South Australia, over both 
of which countries it is very generally although not numerously dispersed. It does not inhabit Western 
Australia, neither have I as yet received it from the north coast. It alike inhabits the thick brushes as well 
as the trees of the open plains. Its chief food is insects, which are either obtained among the foliage 
or under the bark of the larger branches and trunks of the trees; in procuring these it displays great 
dexterity, stripping off the bark in the most determined manner, for which purpose its powerful bill is 
admirably adapted. 
It is very animated and sprightly in its actions, and in many of its habits bears a striking resemblance to 
the Tits, particularly in the manner in which it clings to and climbs among the branches in search of food. 
While thus employed it frequently erects its crest and assumes many pert and lively positions: no bird of 
its size with which I am acquainted possesses greater strength in its mandibles, or is capable of inflicting 
severer wounds, as I experienced on handling one I had previously winged, and which fastened on my hand 
in the most ferocious manner. | 
As far as I am aware, the Faleunculus frontatus is not distinguished by any powers of song, merely uttering 
a few low piping notes. 
I could neither succeed in procuring the nest of this species nor obtain any authentic information 
respecting its nidification. 
The stomachs of the specimens I dissected were filled with the larvee of insects and berries. 
The male has immediately above the bill a narrow band of white, from which, down the centre of the 
head, is a broad stripe of black feathers forming a crest ; sides of the face and head white, divided by a line 
of black which passes through the eye to the nape; back, shoulders and wing-coverts olive; primaries 
and secondaries blackish brown broadly margined with grey; tail blackish brown broadly margined with 
grey, especially on the two centre feathers ; two outer tail-feathers and tips of the remainder white, the white 
diminishing on each feather as it approaches the centre of the tail; throat black ; all the under surface 
bright yellow ; irides reddish brown; bill black ; legs and feet bluish grey. 
The sexes may at all times be distinguished from each other by the smaller size of the female, and by the 
colouring of the throat being green instead of black ; by the irides being darker and the feet bluish lead- 
colour. 
The Plate represents a male and a female of the natural size, on a branch of a shrub-lke tree which I 
gathered in the district of Illawarra, but of which I have not been able to obtain the name. 
