_J. & E. Gould del^t._ _C. Hullmandel Imp._
]
PSOPHODES CREPITANS, _Vig. & Horsf._
Coach-whip Bird.
_Muscicapa crepitans_, Lath. Ind. Orn. Supp., p. li.
_Coach-whip Flycatcher_, Lath. Gen. Syn. Supp., vol. ii. p. 222.
_Coach-whip Honey-eater_, Lath. Gen. Hist., vol. iv. p. 187.
_Psophodes crepitans_, Vig. & Horsf. in Linn. Trans., vol. xv. p. 329.
_Djou_, Aborigines of New South Wales.
This bird, so renowned for the singularity of its note, is very abundant
in many parts of New South Wales, to which portion of the Australian
continent it appears to be confined, as I have never met with it in
collections from any other part of the country. It is to be found only
in dense brushes, such as those at Maitland, Manning, Illawarra, and the
cedar brushes of the Liverpool range; in fact, the localities that are
suitable to the _Menura_ and the Wattled Talegalla, are congenial to the
habits of the Coach-whip Bird, which in some degree assimilate to those
of the former; and the loud full note of this bird, ending sharply like
the cracking of a whip, with which the woods are constantly
reverberating, appeared to me, although very dissimilar, to be analogous
to the peculiar call of the _Menura_; and I would further remark that a
great resemblance is observable in the structure of the two birds.
The Coach-whip Bird is a shy and recluse species, for although its full
notes indicate its presence, it rarely exposes itself to view, but
generally keeps in the midst of the densest foliage and among the
thickest climbing plants, frequenting alike those that have intertwined
themselves with the branches of the tallest shrubs, and those that form
almost impenetrable masses near the ground, and through which it threads
its way with the utmost ease. In these arboreal habits it less resembles
_Menura_ than in other parts of its economy. It is extremely animated
and sprightly in all its actions, raising its crest and spreading its
tail in the most elegant manner, generally carrying this organ slightly
raised, but never elevating it in the grotesque style of the Blue Wrens
(_Maluri_). These actions become even more animated during the spring,
when the males may often be seen chasing each other, frequently stopping
to pour out their notes with great volubility, making the brushes ring
for a considerable distance around them, and displaying themselves to
the greatest advantage.
The food consists of insects of various kinds, obtained almost entirely
from the ground, and sought for by scratching up the leaves and turning
over the small stones, precisely after the manner of the _Menura_.
Independently of its peculiar whistle, which must be heard to be
understood, as it is impossible to convey an idea of it by words, it
possesses a low inward song of considerable melody.
The rounded form of the wings and graduated tail, as well as the
softness of the feathers of the back, have induced some authors to
consider it to be allied to the Bush Shrikes of America (_Thamnophili_);
but the structure of its bill, which is so essentially different, being
totally devoid of the notch on both the mandibles, must have been
overlooked, and in no one of its habits or actions does it assimilate to
those birds.
The sexes are much alike in colour, but may be readily distinguished by
the more obscure plumage, and lesser size of the female. The young of
the first year are of a much browner hue, a character of plumage that
soon gives place to the adult livery. Of its nidification I regret to
say I know nothing, although I paid great attention to the subject
myself, and offered rewards for its nest and eggs, and for any
information respecting them.
The male has the head, ear-coverts, chin and breast black; a large patch
of white on each side of the neck, all the upper surface, wings, flanks,
and base of the tail-feathers olive-green; the remaining portion of the
tail-feathers black, the three lateral feathers on each side tipped with
white; under surface olive-brown, some of the feathers on the centre of
the abdomen tipped with white, and forming a conspicuous irregular
patch; irides brownish red; bill, inside and out, and base of the tongue
black; feet reddish brown.
The Plate represents the male and female of the natural size, on the
branch of a plant growing abundantly in the brushes of the Hunter, with
the scientific name of which I am not acquainted, but which is called
the Cherry by the colonists.
[Illustration:
PSOPHODES NIGROGULARIS: _Gould_.
_J. Gould and H. C. Richter del et lith._ _C. Hullmandel Imp._
]
PSOPHODES NIGROGULARIS, _Gould_.
Black-throated Psophodes.
_Psophodes nigrogularis_, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., January 23,
1844.
The addition of a second species to the genus _Psophodes_ will be hailed
with pleasure by every one who makes the science of ornithology a matter
of study; nor will its discovery be a subject of surprise to us, as it
is only another illustration of that beautiful law of representation
which is conspicuously carried out in Australia. The habitat of the
present bird will doubtless be hereafter found to be as strictly
confined to the western part of the continent as that of the _P.
crepitans_ is to the eastern. As yet only a single example has reached
me, and in all probability no other specimen has ever fallen by the gun
of any individual. It is to Mr. Gilbert’s perseverance that science is
indebted for the knowledge of this new bird, and his notes which
accompanied the specimen (a male) I here transcribe:—“Inhabits thickets
of a small species of _Leptospermum_ growing among the sand hills which
run parallel with and adjacent to the beach. It utters a peculiar harsh
and grating song which it is quite impossible to describe, and which is
so different from that of every other bird I ever heard or am acquainted
with, that I shall have no difficulty in recognizing it again wherever I
may hear it. I heard it for the first time, together with the notes of
many other birds equally strange to me, in the vicinity of the Wongan
Hills a few weeks back, but could not then obtain a sight of the bird,
although I knew from its singular and never to be mistaken note that it
was only a few yards from me.”
Plumage of the upper surface olive; under surface ashy, passing into
brown on the flanks and white on the centre of the abdomen; primaries
brown; tail light olive-brown, the four lateral feathers crossed near
the extremity with a hand of black, and tipped with white; throat deep
black, with a stripe of white from the angle of the lower mandible, just
within the black; bill dark horn-colour; irides dark brown; feet dark
horn-colour.
The figures are of the natural size.
[Illustration:
SPHENOSTOMA CRISTATUM: _Gould_.
_J. & E. Gould del^t._ _C. Hullmandel Imp._
]
SPHENOSTOMA CRISTATUM, _Gould_.
Crested Wedge-bill.
_Sphenostoma cristatum_, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Part V. p.
150.—Ib. Syn. Birds of Australia, Part IV.
Several years have now elapsed since I published the characters of this
bird in the “Zoological Proceedings,” and a figure of the head in my
“Synopsis.” I had little or nothing to communicate respecting its
history at that time, and I regret to say that the interval has not
added to my knowledge of the subject. The specimen from which my
description and figure were originally taken was a female; and although
the male differs but little in its outward appearance, still the rather
more produced form of the bill supplies a key as to what tribe of birds
it appears to be most nearly allied, that of _Psophodes_; at the same
time it must be admitted, that the affinity is somewhat remote, and it
may be that my conclusions are not well-founded: a knowledge of its
habits will materially assist in clearing up this point.
It is an inhabitant of the low scrubby trees and _Polygonum_, bushes
which stud the hot plains of the interior of Australia, particularly
those on the borders of the Lachlan and Darling: Mr. Charles Coxen has
also killed it on the Lower Namoi, but could tell me nothing of its
habits. Whether it has any kind of loud sharp whistle analogous to that
of the Coach-whip-bird (_Psophodes crepitans_), or if it has the same
shy disposition, it would be interesting to ascertain; and to these
points, as well as to all other details connected with its history, I
would call the attention of those who may visit the interior, or may
otherwise be favourably situated for observing them. The sombre tints of
the bird are very like the colour of the earth of the plains it
inhabits; and when the nature of its food shall have been ascertained,
its wedge-shaped bill will doubtless be found admirably adapted for
procuring it.
General plumage brown, lighter beneath; chin and centre of the abdomen
greyish white; wings dark brown, edged with pale brown, the fourth and
fifth primaries conspicuously margined with white; four centre
tail-feathers dark brown, indistinctly barred with a still darker hue;
the remainder brownish black, largely tipped with white; bill blackish
brown; feet lead-colour.
The figures are of the natural size.
[Illustration: