OREOCINCLA LUNULATA.

Mountain Thrush.

Turdus lunulatus, Lath. Ind. Orn. Supp., p. xlii.
Philedon, Temm. Man. d’Orn., 2nd Edit. tom. 1. p. [xxxvn.
Lunulated Thrush, Lath. Gen. Syn. Supp., vol. ii. p. 184.
Honey-eater, Lath. Gen. Hist., vol. iv. p. 180.
Turdus varius, Vig. and Horsf. in Linn. Trans., vol. xv. p. 218.
Oreocincla Nove-Hollandie et O. macrorhyncha, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Part V. p. 145; and in Syn. Birds
of Australia, Part IV.
Mountain Thrush, Colonists of Van Diemen’s Land.

 

In all localities suitable to its habits and mode of life this species is tolerably abundant, both im Van
Diemen’s Land and in New South Wales; it has also been observed in South Australia, where however it
is rare. From what I saw of it personally, I am led to infer that it gives a decided preference to thick
mountain forests, where large boulder stones frequently occur covered with green moss and lichens, parti-
cularly if there be much humidity; rocky gulleys and the sides of water-courses are also among its
favourite places of resort. In Van Diemen’s Land, the slopes of Mount Wellington and other similar bold
elevations are situations in which it may always be seen if closely looked for. During the summer it

ascends high up the mountain sides, but in winter it descends to the lower districts, the outskirts of

the forests, and occasionally visits the gardens of the settlers. In New South Wales, the Cedar Brushes
of the Liverpool range and all similar situations are frequented by it; I also observed it on the islands
at the mouth of the Hunter; and I possess specimens from the north shore near Sydney and the banks
of the Clarence. Its chief food is Helices and other mollusks, to which insects of many kinds are added ;
most likely fruits and berries occasionally form a part of its diet. It is a solitary species, more than two
being rarely observed together, and frequently a single individual only is to be seen, noiselessly hopping over
the rugged ground in search of food. Its powers of flight are seldom exercised, and so far as I am aware
it has no song. Considerable variation exists in the size and in the colouring of individuals from different
districts. The Van Diemen’s Land specimens are larger, and have the bill more robust, than those from
New South Wales ; considerable difference also exists in the lunations at the tip of the feathers, some being
much darker and more distinctly defined than others. The young assume the plumage of the adults from
the nest, but have the lunations paler and the centre of the feathers of the back bright tawny instead
of olive-brown.

The Mountain Thrush breeds in all the localities above-mentioned during the months of August,
September and October, the nest being placed on the low branches of the trees, often within reach of the
hand ; those I saw were outwardly formed of green moss and lined with fine crooked black fibrous roots,
and were about seven inches in diameter by three inches in depth; the eggs, which are two in number, are
of a buffy white or stone-colour, minutely freckled all over with reddish brown, about one inch and three-
eighths long by seven-eighths broad.

The sexes are alike in plumage, and may be thus described :—

The whole of the upper surface olive-brown, each feather with a lunar-shaped mark of black at the tip ;
wings and tail olive-brown, the former fringed with yellowish olive and the outer feather of the latter tipped
with white; under surface white, stained with buff on the breast and flanks, each feather, with the exception
of those of the centre of the abdomen and the under tail-coverts, with a lunar-shaped mark of black at the
tip, narrow on the breast and abdomen and broad on the sides and flanks ; irides very dark brown; bill
horn-colour, becoming yellow on the base of the lower mandible ; feet horn-colour.

The figures are of the natural size.

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