_J. Gould and H. C. Richter del^t._ _C. Hullmandel Imp._
]
PETROICA GOODENOVII, _Jard. and Selb._
Red-capped Robin.
_Muscicapa Goodenovii_, Vig. & Horsf. in Linn. Trans., vol. xv. p.
245.—Jard. and Selb. Ill. Orn., vol. i. pl. 8, fig. 2.
_Petroica Goodenovii_, Jard. and Selb. Ill. Orn., Add., vol.
ii.—Gould, Syn. Birds of Australia, Part I.
_Mȅ-ne-gȅ-dang_, Aborigines of the mountain districts of Western
Australia.
_Red-capped Robin_ of the Colonists.
The red crown and much smaller size of this beautiful Robin at once
distinguishes it from every other species of the genus yet discovered.
Although not plentiful in any part I have visited, it is very generally
distributed over the whole of the southern portion of Australia. I have
observed it myself in South Australia and in New South Wales, and Mr.
Gilbert killed it in Western Australia, where, however, it is very
local, for he only met with it in two spots, one in the York district
and the other at Kojonup, about one hundred miles towards the interior
from King George’s Sound. I have not yet heard of its being an
inhabitant of the northern portion of the country.
I generally observed it either singly or in pairs, and it appeared to
give a decided preference to the beds of dry rivulets, and to thinly
timbered plains, the dense brushes near the coast never being visited by
it; it would seem therefore to be a species peculiar to the interior of
the country.
The whole of the actions and economy of this bird so closely assimilate
to those of the _Petroica multicolor_, that it is unnecessary to repeat
a description of them here; of its nidification no information has yet
been obtained; but in this respect also it doubtless closely resembles
the same species.
It possesses a peculiarly sweet and plaintive song, very much like that
of the European Robin, but more weak and not so continuous.
Its food consists of insects of various kinds.
The male has the upper surface, neck, upper part of the breast and wings
brownish black; wing-coverts and secondaries edged with white, forming a
broad stripe along the wings; middle of the outer web of the quills with
a narrow white margin; forehead, crown, and lower part of the breast
bright scarlet, passing into white on the vent; irides, bill and feet
blackish brown; soles of the feet yellow.
The female, as is the case with the females of the other species,
differs much from her mate in the colouring of the plumage, which
difference will be more clearly perceived in the accompanying
illustration than by the most minute description.
The Plate represents the two sexes of the natural size.
[Illustration:
PETROICA PHŒNICEA: _Gould_.
_J. Gould and H. C. Richter del^t._ _C. Hullmandel Imp._
]
PETROICA PHŒNICEA, _Gould_.
Flame-breasted Robin.
_Petroica phœnicea_, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Part IV. p. 105;
and in Syn. Birds of Australia, Part I.
Van Diemen’s Land and the south-eastern portion of the Australian
continent constitute the natural habitat of this species; in the former
country it is very common, but in New South Wales and South Australia it
is not so numerous, and is very local. It is far less arboreal than the
_Petroica multicolor_, giving a decided preference to open wastes and
cleared lands rather than to the woods: in many of its actions it much
resembles the Wheatears and other true Saxicoline birds, often selecting
a large stone, clod of earth or other substance, on which to perch and
show off its flame-coloured breast to the greatest advantage. As the
season of nidification approaches it retires to the forests for the
purpose of breeding, building its cup-shaped nest in the chink of a
tree, in the cleft of a rock, or any similar situation. It is a very
familiar species, seeking rather than shunning the presence of man, and
readily taking up its abode in his gardens, orchards, and other
cultivated grounds. It is to be found in the neighbourhood of Hobart
Town at all seasons of the year, and I have even taken its nest from a
shelving bank in the streets of the town.
Its food consists of insects of various kinds, which are principally
procured on the surface of the ground.
It has a pretty cheerful song, uttered somewhat low and inwardly; the
male generally sings over or near the female while she is sitting upon
her eggs.
The nest, which is thick and warm, is formed of narrow strips and
thread-like fibres of soft bark, matted together with cobwebs and
sometimes wool, and lined with hair and feathers, or occasionally with
fine hair-like grasses. The general colour of the eggs is greenish
white, spotted and freckled with purplish and chestnut-brown: much
variety occurs in these markings, some assuming the form of large bold
irregular spots and blotches, while in others they are merely minute
freckles; the eggs are three in number; their medium length nine lines,
and breadth seven lines.
I have not yet satisfied myself respecting the changes which this
species undergoes, or what time elapses before it assumes the red garb;
some individuals certainly breed while in the brown dress, and they may
frequently be heard singing while clothed in this sombre-coloured
plumage; the _Petroica multicolor_, on the contrary, would appear to
obtain its red breast during the first autumn, as I have a specimen
killed on the 8th of February with a fine red breast, while the
colouring of the other parts of its plumage is indicative of immaturity.
The male has the crown of the head and all the upper surface sooty grey,
except a small white spot across the forehead, a patch of the same
colour on the shoulders and the anterior edges of the tertials;
primaries and tail-feathers greyish black, except the outer feathers of
the latter, which are nearly all white; the second tail-feather on each
side is also tinged with white; upper part of the throat sooty grey, the
rest of the under surface rich scarlet; under tail-coverts white;
irides, bill and feet black.
The female is uniform brown above; wings dark brown; tertials and
wing-coverts edged with reddish grey; tail brown; the outer
tail-feathers on each side almost wholly white; all the under surface
reddish grey; irides, bill and feet black.
The young resembles the female, but has the centre of the feathers
lighter, and the corners of the mouth yellow; bill and feet blackish
brown.
The Plate represents the male, female and nest of the natural size.
[Illustration: