2i6 NESTS AND EGGS OF AUSTRALIAN BIRDS. 



manner. I had noticed a White Egret flying along the edge of, the tide 

 on the shore of Western Port Bay, and being anxious to secure the bird, 

 I commenced stalking tlirough the scinib fringing the fore-shore. Whilst 

 so cngiiged I flushed an Emu Wren from a thick salonica bush, and 

 discovered the nest, situated in the thickest part of the foliage, and con- 

 taining tliree eggs, which were nearly hatched. Possessed of the 

 knowledge thus obtained, I made repeated and persistent efforts to again 

 find a nest, but without success until September, 1895, on the 14th of 

 which month I succeeded in finding a nest containing two fresh eggs. 

 This nest I also found accidentally through riding across a shallow swamp 

 fringed with stunted tea-tree, from amongst which I saw the bird flutter, 

 and after a short search discovered the nest. Two days afterwards I dis- 

 covered another nest in a patch of thick, low scrub. In this instance thi-ee 

 eggs were taken, somewhat incubated, one of which broke when being 

 blown. 



" Owing to the absence of bush fires last summer the birds were more 

 niunerous this spring than for some years, hence I devoted all my spare 

 time during the latter part of September and the whole of October to 

 searching for their nests. On the 26th September I found a nest in 

 which were three eggs sUghtly incubated. The nest was placed at a 

 height of eighteen inches from the ground among low dense scrub in a 

 swampy locality. On the same date I also discovered the nest exliibited 

 to-night, which the birds deserted, probably owing to my distm-bing their 

 nesting operations, as I saw the female within a few feet of the nest. This 

 nest I have brought with as much surroundings as possible, and it will, 

 I tliink, enable all interested to get a fairly good idea of the situations 

 favoured by these birds for nesting. In this instance a space of two feet 

 separated the nest from the ground, and in every instance coming imder 

 my notice the nests are situated among scrub, thick, low, and dense, and 

 matted together with the wii-y creeper as in the case of the nest exliibited. 

 I subsequently found one nest and three fresh eggs; also, two nests, 

 containing three and four eggs respectively, both the latter sets being 

 nearly hatched; besides two others containing yoimg birds. 



" As aU the nests were a considerable distance from my home, I had 

 no opportunity of watching them for more than a brief period, which, 

 however, enabled me to observe the female return to the nest on two 

 occasions, and take her place upon the eggs. This she apparently does 

 by ' backing ' into the nest, hence her long tail sticks outward through the 

 entrance and over her head, a conclusion forced upon me (even without 

 the necessity of eye-witnessing) from the extreme length of the tail and 

 size and shape of the nest. The eggs are somewhat large for the bird, 

 and, like many other species, differ considerably in their markings. 

 Nearly all those taken by me may be likened to the eggs of Malurus 

 cyaneus, but somewhat smaller. The nest is much more compact than 

 the Blue Wren's, smaller, and much better finished, besides being more 

 artfully concealed. As Gould has truly remarked, the bird's powers of 

 flight are but feeble ; hence it depends mainly upon its wonderful activity 

 upon the ground as a means of escape from danger, and the dense 

 undergrowth foimd in the localities it frequents." 



