GRAUCALUS HYPOLEUCUS,Gould.White-bellied Graucalus.
Graucalus hypoleucus, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., February 8, 1848.
This species inhabits the neighbourhood of Port Essington, where it is a very familiar bird, constantly flitting about the branches overhanging the houses of the settlement. In its general habits, manners and note it closely assimilates to theGraucalus melanops. It is abundant in every part of the Cobourg Peninsula, and is generally seen in small families of from four to ten or twelve in number.
The whiteness of the under surface serves to distinguish this from all the other species of the genus yet discovered in Australia.
The stomach is muscular, and the food consists of insects of various genera, which are generally taken from off the leafy branches of the highest trees.
The sexes assimilate very closely in colouring, and only differ in the females and young males having the lores of a dull brown instead of black.
Lores black; crown of the head and all the upper surface dark grey; wings and tail black; chin, under surface of the wings, abdomen and under tail-coverts white; breast pale greyish white; irides brownish black; bill blackish brown; legs and feet black; insides of the feet and spaces between the scales of the tarsi mealy grey.
The figures are of the natural size.