A lLU FyE D U S C H A v S S ti\O ñ T l\;S .
xELURCEDUS CRASSIROSTRIS.
LA RG E -B IL L CAT BIRD.
LANIUS CRASSIROSTRIS, Psyk. N. Act. Ac. Cpad. ( t y l f ) „ I .y j j . p..2s2, t
GREEN GRAKLE, Lath. Gen. Hist. vol. viii. p. 186.-Shaw, Gen. Zool. vol. vii./ISOS') p 47 -L a th Gen s™ <?„ 1 ••
FTILONORHraCHDS VIRIDIS, Wsgl. S y .t Ay. ,p . 3. * ^ S"PP' 129
mLONORWmCHUS smithii, v*. a IW. w 11». sol.™,. p. | | j g g B. of | § vaL „. pk-a.y, |g BWs> T0l. p
KITTA VIRESCENS, Temm. Plan. Color, vol. ii. pi. 396.
AILURCEDDS SMITHII, -Cab. Mug. Hem. Theil b p s !1 3 .-G op ld , H » d -b . Birds Apitr. (1 865) vol. I p. 44C.
H a b . New South Wales (G o u ld ) .
Many authors, from the days of Latham to our o m time, haye written about this bird, and classed it in many
d i W fimnbes and genera. It rs albed to the Bower-birds, and frequents like situations with some of them
f — — °” knowlf S6 ef ends- tbis sPecies “ 0”l7 fcmd fa New South Wales, where it inhabits the luxuriant
forests that attend along the eastern eoast between the mountain-ranges and the sea— those of the Hlawarra, the
Hunter, the MacLeay, and the Clarence, and the cedar-brushes of (he Liverpool range, being, among many
— b ma7 a rford'situatiom suit“bie *° B ****and B bMs “e IB I B »<> the habits of the Cat bird; and I haye not unfirequenfly seen them all three■ feeding together on the same
L “ *" * Cben7' wheaÜ sea80n' aff°"i “ abundant supply. So rarely does it take
mseets, that I do not recollect ever finding any remains in the stomachs o f those specimens I dissected In its
■ ■ i l l B H i “ H D a ™ y bW- ■ a“«««" being required to approach it either when feeding or
while quietly perched upon the lofty branches of the trees. It is at such times that its loud, harsh, and extra-
ordinary note is heard— a note which differs so much from that of all other birds, that, having been once heard it
can neyer be mistaken. In comparing it to the nightly concerts of the domestic cat I conceive that I am convering
to my readers a more perfect idea of the note of this species than could he given by pages o f description. S í
concert is performed either b y a pair or several individuals; and nothing more is required than for the hearer
H j ü eyeS 10 e nelSbbourfa£ foliage to fancy himself surrounded by London grimalkins of house-top
“While fa the district in which this bird is found, my attention was directed to the acquisition of all the
information I could obtain respecting its habits, as I considered.it very probable that it might construct a
bower similar to that of the Satin bird; but I could not satisfy myself that it does; nor could I discover
its nest, or the situation in which it breeds; it is doubtless, however, among the branches of the forest in
which it lives. The sexes do not offer the slightest difference in plumage, or any external character by which
the male may be distmguished firom the female; she, however, is rather less brilliant in. her markings and
somewhat smaller in size.”—G o u ld .
a itir e upper parts, wings, and tail rich dark green. Tips o f secondaries, lesser wing-coverts, tertials, and tail-
feathers spotted with white. Feathers of hind neck and upper part of back also having a small white spot in the
centre near the tip. Throat, cheeks, upper part of breast, and flanks green, with a brownish tinge, each feather
with a heart-shaped white spot m the centre near the tip. Rest of underparts pale green, becoming a light yellow
in the centre o f the abdomen. Under tail-coverts very light green. Bill yellowish hom-colour. Feet and tarsi
blackish brown.