This unadorned species of Robin is very abundantly distributed over all
those parts of Van Diemen’s Land that are suitable to its habits; it
gives preference to thinly-timbered hills, and all such plains and low
grounds as are sterile and covered here and there with thickets and
stunted brushwood. In its manners and whole economy it closely
assimilates to the Red-breasted Robins; I frequently observed it sitting
on the stumps of dead and fallen trees, on the railings of inclosures,
gardens and other similar situations. Its food appeared to consist
solely of insects, which it swallows entire, even coleoptera of a large
size.
Its nest, which is rather large and of a cup-shape, is formed of coarse
fibrous roots, small twigs, strings of bark and dried grasses intermixed
with very fine hair-like fibrous roots, wool, and the soft seed-stalks
of mosses. The size and form of the nest depend upon the nature of the
situation chosen for a site; if a ledge or fissure of a rock, it is much
spread out, but with the inside and top very neatly finished; the
opening measures on an average about two inches and a half, and the nest
is about one inch and a quarter in depth.
The eggs, which are three or four in number, differ in colour from those
of every other member of the genus, but more nearly assimilate in tint
and markings to those of _Petroica bicolor_ than of any other. They are
of a light greenish blue, freckled and spotted with minute indistinct
markings of brown; their medium length is ten lines, and breadth seven
and a half lines.
Although I have paid considerable attention to the distribution of this
species, I have never been able to meet with it on the continent of
Australia, or in any other country than Van Diemen’s Land; still I
cannot positively assert that it is not an inhabitant of the Australian
continent. It is very numerous about Hobart Town, both in the gulleys
under Mount Wellington, and on the opposite side of the Derwent towards
Clarence Plains.
Its note is low and monotonous, without any peculiar character.
The sexes differ from all the other members of the genus in being alike
in colour, and cannot possibly be distinguished without the aid of
dissection.
Head, and all the upper surface reddish brown tinged with olive; wings
and tail brown; primaries and secondaries crossed by a narrow line of
white at the base; the outer tail-feather on each side margined
externally, and at the tip with white; under surface pale brown, passing
into buffy white on the vent and under tail-coverts; irides, bill and
feet blackish brown.
The young is very dark brown above, striated with deep buff; beneath
mottled brown and buffy white; the latter colour occupying the centre of
the feathers.
The Plate represents a male and two young birds of the natural size.
[Illustration:
PETROICA SUPERCILIOSA: _Gould_.
_J. Gould and H. C. Richter del et lith._ _Hullmandel & Walton Imp._
]
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