In the same family, though in the next sub-family, are some peculiar Australian birds. The two Shrike-Tits are found one in Eastern Australia and the other in Western Australia. Gould said feelingly—he was nipped by one—that "no bird of its size has stronger mandibles." It is to be seen in the Melbourne Botanic Gardens, tearing off bark as it seeks for insects.
The Crested Bell-Bird is restricted to Australia. Being a perfect ventriloquist, it is very difficult to locate it. Some of its notes are bell-like, and have misled those seeking horses. I met it frequently in the Mallee and in the Maryborough and Ararat districts. It often hopped out on to the road on frosty mornings. It is one of Australia's singular and interesting birds.
Those badly-named, but often attractive, songsters—the Thickheads (now called Whistlers)—are placed next. Eighty-eight of these birds are known from the Australian region, though but twenty occur in Australia itself and Tasmania. On account of the difficulty of skinning these birds, they were given the name Pachycephala. It is unfortunate that the literal translation—thick head—was the name used by bird people for these beautiful singers. It is now proposed to change the name to Whistler. Strange to say, we have not heard a good local name for these attractive and often gorgeous birds.
To complete this interesting sub-family, we have the Yellow-breasted Shrike-Robin—a confiding favorite, found in most dark scrubs. Its single, often-repeated, piping note is responsible for its name, Eopsaltria, "Psalm of the Dawn." This delightful forest-dweller frequently perches sideways on a sapling. Six kinds are known from Australia, and two more from adjacent islands.
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F. 132. PRIONOPIDAE (11), WOOD-SHRIKES, 95 sp.—55(55)A., 15(15)O., 25(25)E.
1
2
314 Magpie-Lark, Murray (Little) Magpie (e), Mudlark (e), Soldiers, Peewee (e), Peewit (e), Pugwall, Grallina picata, A., T. (acc).