RHIPIDURA ISURA, Gould.
Northern Fantail.
Rhipidura isura, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Part VIII. p. 174.
T h i s species is an inhabitant of the north and north-west coasts o f Australia, in which localities specimens
have been procured by His Excellency Governor Grey and by Mr. Gilbert, the latter of whom states that it
is abundant in all parts of the Cobourg Peninsula, and that it is to be met with in every variety o f situation;
that it is usually seen in pairs, and that it secludes itself during the heat o f the day amidst the dense
thickets of mangroves.
A nest found by Mr. Gilbert in the early part o f November appeared to have been recently inhabited by
young birds; it was placed in the centre of three upright twigs o f a species of Banksia, and was formed of
narrow strips of bark, firmly bound together on the outside with cobwebs and vegetable fibres; it was very
cup-like in shape, about two inches and a half in height, one inch and three-quarters in diameter, and three-
quarters o f an inch in depth.
The stomach is tolerably muscular, and the food consists of insects of various kinds and their larvae.
All the upper surface dull brown ; wings and tail darker brown, the outer feather o f the latter on each
side margined externally and largely tipped with white, the next having a large irregular spot o f white at
the tip, and the next with a minute line o f white near the t ip ; chin and under surface bufiy white, with an
indication o f a dark brown band across the chest; bill and feet black.
The Plate represents a male and a female o f the natural size.