_J. Gould and H. C. Richter del^t._ _C. Hullmandel Imp._
]
PETROICA BICOLOR, _Swains._
Pied Robin.
_Muscicapa cucullata_, Lath. Ind. Orn. Supp., p. 51?
_Hooded Flycatcher_, Lath. Gen. Syn., Supp., vol. ii. p. 223? and Gen.
Hist., vol. vi. p. 216?
_Petroica bicolor_, Swains. III. Zool., 2nd Ser., pl. 43.
_Jil-but_, Aborigines of the mountain districts of Western Australia.
_Goȍ-ba-mȍgin_, Aborigines around Perth, Western Australia.
_Black Robin_ of the Colonists.
If we consider the Pied Robins from Swan River and the north-west coast
of Australia as identical with, or mere varieties of, those killed in
New South Wales, from which they differ only in being smaller in all
their admeasurements, then the range of the present bird will be very
extensive, and in fact its dispersion over the Australian continent
almost universal. The _Petroica bicolor_ has never been found in Van
Diemen’s Land, nor is it probable that it proceeds so far south. It
loves to dwell in the open parts of the country rather than in the thick
brushes. I have always found it most numerous on such flats as were
studded here and there with large trees, among the lower branches of
which, as well as on the ground immediately beneath them, it might be
observed darting about for insects in the most bold and active manner;
the jet-black colouring of its upper surface, contrasted with the
whiteness of the other parts, rendering it very conspicuous,
particularly when its wings and tail are displayed to their full extent.
Its food consists solely of insects of various kinds, particularly
coleoptera and their larvæ.
The breeding-season commences in September and continues during the four
following months; in this period two broods at least are reared. The
nest, which is rather small and shallow, is formed of dried grasses,
strips of bark and fibrous roots, bound together and partly smoothed
over with cobwebs, the inside being lined with fine wire-like fibres,
and generally a little wool at the bottom; it is placed on the dried
branch of a small tree, resting against the trunk, or in the fork of a
fallen branch within two or three feet of the ground. The eggs, which
are three in number and of a rather lengthened form, are light olive
green without any spots or markings, but occasionally washed with brown,
particularly at the larger end; their medium length is ten lines and a
half, and breadth seven lines and a half.
This species possesses a simple call-note, so feeble and weak as only to
be heard at the distance of a few yards.
The male has the head, throat, neck, back, rump, upper tail-coverts and
the two centre tail-feathers deep velvety black; the next tail-feather
on each side black on the inner web, white on the outer web, and largely
tipped with black, the remainder of the tail-feathers white, largely
tipped with black; feathers covering the insertion of the wing white;
wings dull black, the secondaries edged with white; an oblique band of
white across all but the two first primaries near their base; under
surface of the shoulder, breast, abdomen and under tail-coverts white;
irides brownish black; bill black; feet blackish brown.
The female has the upper surface dark brownish grey; wings brown, with
the oblique band less prominent than in the male; under surface light
brownish grey, passing into white on the vent and under tail-coverts;
tail brown, the lateral feathers white at the base, the white continuing
to near the tip on the external web of the outer feather.
The young immediately after leaving the nest is dark brown, with a
stripe of light brown down the centre of each feather, the markings of
the wings and tail resembling those of the adult; under surface like the
upper, but becoming white as it proceeds towards the vent.
The Plate represents the male and female on a branch of the Currijong,
all of the natural size.
[Illustration:
Petroica Fusca: _Gould_.
_J. Gould and H. C. Richter del^t._ _C. Hullmandel Imp._
]
PETROICA FUSCA, _Gould_.
Dusky Robin.
This unadorned species of Robin is very abundantly distributed over all
those parts of Van Diemen’s Land that are suitable to its habits; it
gives preference to thinly-timbered hills, and all such plains and low
grounds as are sterile and covered here and there with thickets and
stunted brushwood. In its manners and whole economy it closely
assimilates to the Red-breasted Robins; I frequently observed it sitting
on the stumps of dead and fallen trees, on the railings of inclosures,
gardens and other similar situations. Its food appeared to consist
solely of insects, which it swallows entire, even coleoptera of a large
size.
Its nest, which is rather large and of a cup-shape, is formed of coarse
fibrous roots, small twigs, strings of bark and dried grasses intermixed
with very fine hair-like fibrous roots, wool, and the soft seed-stalks
of mosses. The size and form of the nest depend upon the nature of the
situation chosen for a site; if a ledge or fissure of a rock, it is much
spread out, but with the inside and top very neatly finished; the
opening measures on an average about two inches and a half, and the nest
is about one inch and a quarter in depth.
The eggs, which are three or four in number, differ in colour from those
of every other member of the genus, but more nearly assimilate in tint
and markings to those of _Petroica bicolor_ than of any other. They are
of a light greenish blue, freckled and spotted with minute indistinct
markings of brown; their medium length is ten lines, and breadth seven
and a half lines.
Although I have paid considerable attention to the distribution of this
species, I have never been able to meet with it on the continent of
Australia, or in any other country than Van Diemen’s Land; still I
cannot positively assert that it is not an inhabitant of the Australian
continent. It is very numerous about Hobart Town, both in the gulleys
under Mount Wellington, and on the opposite side of the Derwent towards
Clarence Plains.
Its note is low and monotonous, without any peculiar character.
The sexes differ from all the other members of the genus in being alike
in colour, and cannot possibly be distinguished without the aid of
dissection.
Head, and all the upper surface reddish brown tinged with olive; wings
and tail brown; primaries and secondaries crossed by a narrow line of
white at the base; the outer tail-feather on each side margined
externally, and at the tip with white; under surface pale brown, passing
into buffy white on the vent and under tail-coverts; irides, bill and
feet blackish brown.
The young is very dark brown above, striated with deep buff; beneath
mottled brown and buffy white; the latter colour occupying the centre of
the feathers.
The Plate represents a male and two young birds of the natural size.
[Illustration:
PETROICA SUPERCILIOSA: _Gould_.
_J. Gould and H. C. Richter del et lith._ _Hullmandel & Walton Imp._
]
PETROICA SUPERCILIOSA, _Gould_.
White-eyebrowed Robin.
_Petroica superciliosa_, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Part XIV. p.
106.
For our knowledge of this new species of _Petroica_ we are indebted to
the researches of Mr. Gilbert, who while in company with Dr. Leichardt,
during his adventurous expedition from Moreton Bay to Port Essington,
discovered it in the neighbourhood of the Burdekin Lakes towards the
Gulf of Carpentaria. The following remarks in Mr. Gilbert’s Journal
comprise all that is at present known respecting it:—“May 14th. In a
ramble with my gun I shot a new bird, the actions of which assimilate to
those of the _Petroicæ_ and the _Eöpsaltriæ_; like the former it carries
its tail very erect, but is more retiring in its habits than those
birds; on the other hand, its notes resemble those of the latter. It
inhabits the dense jungle-like vegetation growing beneath the shade of
the fig-trees on the banks of the Burdekin. I succeeded in procuring two
specimens.”
Superciliary stripe, throat, abdomen, under surface of the shoulder, and
the bases of the primaries and secondaries white; lores, ear-coverts,
wing-coverts, and the primaries and secondaries for some distance beyond
the white deep black; all the upper surface, wings and tail sooty brown;
all but the two central tail-feathers largely tipped with white; bill
and feet black; irides reddish brown.
The Plate represents the two sexes of the natural size.
[Illustration: