I never met with it in Van Diemen’s Land, or on the islands in Bass’s Straits, neither do I recollect having seen it in South Australia; and it has not been found in Western Australia, or on the north coast, in which latter locality it is represented by the Rhipidura Dryas.
I had no opportunity of observing it during the breeding-season, but frequently encountered its deserted little cup-shaped nests, which bore a general resemblance to that of the R. albiscapa, figured on the preceding plate.
The sexes are precisely alike in colour; and their only outward difference consists in the somewhat smaller size of the female.
Forehead rusty red, continuing over the eye; crown of the head, back of the neck, upper part of the back and wings olive-brown; lower part of the back, tail-coverts, and the basal portions of the tail rusty red; remainder of the tail blackish brown, obscurely tipped with light grey; the shafts of the tail-feathers for nearly half their length from the base light rusty red; throat and centre of the abdomen white; ear-coverts dark brown; chest black, the feathers of the lower part edged with white; flanks and under tail-coverts light fawn-colour; eyes, bill and feet brown.
The figures are of the natural size.
RHIPIDURA ISURA: Gould.
J. Gould and H. C. Richter del et lith. Hullmandel & Walton Imp.
RHIPIDURA ISURA, Gould.
Northern Fantail.
Rhipidura isura, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Part VIII. p. 174.
This species is an inhabitant of the north and north-west coasts of 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 of situation; that it is usually seen in pairs, and that it secludes itself during the heat of the day amidst the dense thickets of mangroves.