1 86 NESTS AXD EGGS OF AUSTRALIAN BIRDS. 



dining July. Perliaps about one-fifth of the young are hatched by the 

 end of that month; but from the fii-st to the middle of August the 

 majority of the birds lay. 



Although tlie Ground Thnrsh is such an early breeder there are 

 exceptions, as with other rules, in its case. Once in the middle of 

 September I saw a nest with three eggs, supposed to be a second clutch of 

 bii'ds previously robbed iu the locality, although I do not think they all 

 lay a second time diuing the season if their nest is interfered with. 



Mr. J. Gabriel furnished me with two authenticated notes of late nests 

 with eggs, seen in the Dandenongs. One was towards the end of 

 November, the other 20th December. I also learnt of another nest having 

 been taken 9th November, 1893, at Dandenong Creek. 



In the yoimg, feathers soon succeed down, and from the nest they 

 assume the same coloiu-ed garb as theii- parents, the prevailing colour of 

 which is ohve-brown, darkest on the back and much lighter on the breast 

 and flanks. With the exception of the wings, tail, and centre of abdomen, 

 each feather has a liuiar or moon-shaped mark of black at the tip ; hence 

 the specific name, hinulafa. The beak and feet are hom-coloured, the 

 former yellowish at the gape. The dark-browu ej-es are full of meek 

 expression. In fact, the birds whole coutoiu- is captivating, more 

 especially when seen with neck shortened on its moss-bedecked nest, 

 or standing with partly cb'ooping wings over its helpless fledgelings. 



With other persons, including Gould, I used to fancy the one drawback 

 in the nature of the Movmtain or Groimd Thrash was that it was dumb, 

 save a few squeakv notes uttered when alarmed, or when the yoimg was 

 approached, when the bird hiu'ried and flopped over the ground through 

 the scrab, and at the feet of the intrader, making a feeble but sustained 

 liissing whistle. But since, I have learned this Tlirash is really a songster, 

 wliich especially loves to sing " betwixt the lights " after the sun has gone 

 down. Then the Thiiish may be heard in a modest, subdued whistling song, 

 as if to wliile away the interval of twilight. The music is interspersed 

 with portions of song not imUke that of the EngUsh Thrash, but without 

 the full and impassioned notes, being a melodious whistle of cliiefly two 

 notes, a slide about a thii-d from one to the other, with trills and variations. 

 Sometimes the bird sings at dawTi. 



Like most trae Thrushes, the Groimd Thrush loves to feed upon 

 molluscs, but it is not averse to worms. A field observer told me how he 

 once watched a bird gathering worms, presumably for its yoimg. Pulling 

 a worm out of the gi-ound, the bu'd would hop silently about with the 

 twisung captive in its bill until another was discovered. Dropping No. 1, 

 No. 2 was hauled from its hole, then No. 1 was again picked up and 

 No. 3 prospected for ; and so on, the bird laying down its mouthful each 

 time a fresh capture was to be made, imtil it had difiicidty in keeping 

 together about half-dozen wiiggling wonns. It would then finally fly away 

 with the lot. 



The greatest season I experienced amongst the Ground Thrushes was 

 in 1886. 



The following are my field notes ; — 



(1) — 31st July. — Nest in upright tree, fairly thick .scrub, in a dip with 

 bracken, dead and decaying logs about. Eggs, two. 



