.VESTS A. YD ECGS OF AUSTRALIAN BIRDS. ,70 



Nest and Eyys. — Undesciibcd. 



Observations. — The nest and eggs of this rare north-western Wren 

 are still unknown, but doubtless when discovered they will be found to 

 resemble those of the other members of this interesting and beautiful 

 genus. 



Respecting the bird, Gould says: — "Charming as are many of the 

 smaller Australian birds, I think the present species is entitled to the 

 palm for elegance and beauty, not only among the members of its OAvn 

 genus, numerous and beautiful as they really are, but among all other 

 gi-oups of birds yet discovered ; the chami, too, is considerably enhanced 

 by the gi'eat novelty in the style of colouring, for in how few birds do 

 we find the lovely lilac tint that encircles and adorns the head of this 

 bird ! A similar tint, it is trvie, appears in the nape of the Bower Birds 

 (Chlamydoihra-), but I scarcely know of a third instance.'' 



151.- MALUfiL-s DORS.\i.is, Lcwiu. — (197) 

 M. rrurnfdtiis, Gould. 



RED-BACKED WREN. 



Figure.— Gou\d: Birds of Australia, fol., vol iii , p. 27. 



Reference. -Ca.i. Birds Brit. Mus., vol. iv., p. 296. 



Previous Descriptions of Egfs. — Ramsay : Proc. Linn. Soc, N.S. Wales, 

 vol. vii., p. 40S (1882) ; North : Trans. Roy. Soc, S.A., vol. xxii., 

 p. 140 (1868); Le Souef: Victorian Naturalist, vol. xvi., p. 65 

 (1899), 



Geogruphirtil Di.ttril)utiun. — North-west Australia, Northern Tenitory, 

 and North Queensland. 



Ne-it. — Small, oval, with side entrance near the top ; composed chiefly 

 of fine grasses, shreds of bark, with a small quantity of leaves and cocoons 

 added, and lined with fine grass. Usually placed low in bush or herbage. 

 Dimensions, 5 inches in length by 11 inches in breadth; entrance, 1^ 

 inches across. 



Ef/gx. — Clutch, three to four ; stout oval in form ; texture of shell 

 very fine ; siu'face glossy ; colour, pearly-white, moderately spotted and 

 blotched with chestnut or reddish-brown, thickest about the apex. 

 Dimensions in inches of a proper clutch: (1) -62 x -46, (2) 6 x -45, 

 (3) -59 X -45. 



Odsernition.s. — The number of these birds that frequented the rank 

 grassy situations near our camp at Cardwell, North Queensland, pleased 

 us much. Tlie blood-red back, set in velvety-black, of the male bird, w^as 

 so stiiking to the sight. The Red-backed Wren would appear to be the 

 tropical or northern form of the Orange-backed variety or vice versa. 



A nest I found, with young, in the \-icinity of Townsville, 15th 

 September, 1885, was, I beheve, referable to the former bird. 



