HYLACOLA. 2G5 



Hylacola cauta. 



SHY SCRUB-WARBLER. 

 Hylacola cauta, Gould, Proc. Zool. Soc, 1842, p. ]3o; id., Bds. Austr., fol, Vol. Ill,, pi. 40 (1848); 

 id., Handbk. Bds. Austr., Vol. I., p. 347 (186.^). 

 Adclt male — General colour above brown, the back was/ied loitlt, rufescent-olive, wlnclc is more 

 pronounced on the rump; dipper tail-coverts rich chestnut; wings hroivn, with a faint rufescent-olive 

 tinge to the outer ivebs of the secondaries and the inkier series of the greater wing-coverts ; tips and 

 margins of the median and greater coverts wliite; basal portion of the outer webs of the outer 

 primaries white, ivhich is followed by a blackish wash toivards the centre of the feathers, and then by 

 a narrow edge of ashy-white on their apical half, except at the tips; primary coverts blackish, and 

 only partially concealing the tvhite bases to the outer tvebs of the primaries n^hich form a conspicuous 

 white spot towards the centre of the wing; tail feathers blackish-broivn, the central pair and outer 

 webs of the remainder washed with reddish-brown ; tips of tJie four central feathers ashy-brown, the 

 remainder being largely tipped ivitli white; a spot in front of the eye blackish-brown; a line 

 extending from the nostril over the eye white, bordered on the forehead by a narrow line of black ; 

 ear-coverts brown ivith white shaft lines; sides of the neck brown; under surface of the body tvhite, 

 each feather conspicuously streaked with blackish-brown down the centre, except on the centre of the 

 abdomen: tinder tail-coverts chestnut : thiglis brown ; bill blackish-brown ; legs and feet fleshy-brown. 

 Total length 5'5 inches, wing 2'2, tail 2'S, bill 0'5, tarsus 0'S5. 



Distribution. — \'ictoria, South Australia, \Vestern Australia. 



/T^HE range of this very distinct species extends across the extreme southern portion of 

 JL the Australian Continent. While collecting on behalf of the Trustees of the Australian 

 Museum, Mr. George Masters procured an adult male at Mongup, Salt River, Western 

 Australia, in i86g. I have also received on loan a young male from the Director of the South 

 AustraHan Museum. Mr. A. Zietz, the Assistant-Director, informs me that it was procured by 

 the late Mr. F. W. Andrews on the 13th October, 1897, who observed a small flock of these 

 birds hopping about in the scrub at Talem Bend, to the north of Lake Alexandria. From 

 Western \'ictoria I have also received for examination a fine old adult male obtained by Mr. 

 H. C. Smart at Nhill on the 26th September, 1899. This specimen is slightly larger in size 

 than average examples oi Hylacola pyrrhopygia, the wing measuring 2-2 inches. 



From H. pyrrhopygia this species may at once be distinguished by the larger white bases 

 to the outer webs of the outer primaries forming a spot near the centre of the wing, and by its 

 richer and darker coloured upper tail-coverts. The tail feathers, too, are almost uniformly 

 coloured, not crossed by a distinct band, and the lateral ones are largely tipped with white. 

 On the under surface the streaks are larger and darker, and those on the centre of the forehead 

 are almost black. 



Under the name of Hylacola pyrrhopygia, Mr. W. White, of Reedbeds, near Adelaide, 

 forwarded me in January, 1894, a set of two eggs, together with the following note: — "These 

 eggs were taken on the ist October, 1893, from a dome-shaped nest rather flattened on the top, 

 with a protruding entrance, and formed of twigs and grasses with a lining of finer grasses and 

 other soft material. The nest was placed about a foot from the ground, in a stunted and very 

 thick prickly acacia-bush growing near the mouth of the American Ri\-er, Kangaroo Island." 

 On application for a skin of the bird for the purpose of verification, under date 15th March, 

 1894, ^Ir- ^Vhite writes me: — "I looked through most of my collection to-day, but could not 

 find a skin of the Hylacola, however I send you the remains of one that I shot on York 

 Peninsula, South Australia, in mistake and threw it into my bag until I came home. I 

 then put it on one side as it was of no use, but you will possibly be able to make out 

 from it what you want." The specimen forwarded by Mr. White proved to be H. cauta, 



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