.\ESTS AND EGOS OF AUSTRALIAN BIRDS. 217 



I have used Dr. Kamsay's description of the nest, and also liavo given 

 the description of a typical nest which was kindly presented to me by 

 Mr. Shepherd. The Westt^'ni Port example is decidedly compact and well- 

 built, aud most resembles that of a Tit ( Acanthi:u). I have every 

 confidence in Mr. Shepherds identification. I have since been in the field 

 with him, when he showed me similar nests built by Emu Wrens, one of 

 which, by the way, contained an egg of the Narrow-billed Bronze Cuckoo. 



Breeding montlis September and probably to the end of the year. 



The illustration of the " Emu Wren's Nest " is taken from one situated 

 near a bit of leptospernuuu scrub. 



171. — Stipitckl's KUFicEl's, Campbell. 

 RUFOUS-CROWT^ED EMU WREN. 



Figure— lh\s, pi. 7 (iSgg). 



Reference. — Victorian Naturalist, vol. xv., p. 116 (1899). 



Geugraphirnl Dixtrihiiiinn. — West and North-west Australia. 



Xest and Eggs. — Undescribed. 



Observations. — On the 14th April, 1898, close to the beach near the 

 North-west Cape, Mr. Tom Carter shot, in company with White-backed 

 Wrens (Malarus leuciinotunj, a pair of Emu Wrens. Believing them to 

 be the ordinaiy kind, he sent the male together with some other skins 

 to Ms father in England. However, he retained the female, which he 

 kindly foi-warded to me, at my request. I at once perceived that it 

 differed from the species found in the scrubs of Victoria, and provisionally 

 (until an opportunity occurred of examining the male) named the new 

 bird as above.* 



Luckily Mr. Carter procured another male on the 8th December (1898), 

 which fully confirms the new species, and is one of the smallest of 

 Australian birds. 



It differs from the ordinary Emu Wren in its smaller size and richer 

 colouring of blue upon the throat (of the male) ; the crown of the head 

 is rufous-brown, and the curious tail feathers are not so filamentar}' or 

 loose in structure. 



Comparative dimensions in inches of the adult male of both species : — 

 S. malachurus. — Length, 7-5; wing, 1-6; tail, 4-75; bill, -35 ; tarsus, -82 

 S. ruficcps.— „ 50; ,,1-43; „ 2-9; „ -3; „ 6 



I have no doubt that the small birds, described as Emu Wrens, foimd 

 and lost by the members of the Calvert Exploring Expedition in the 

 North-west Desert, 1896, were the same species as those procured by 

 Mr. Carter, especially as Mr. Keartland mentions the noticeable feature 

 of the peculiar tail feathers being more close in texture than any Emu 



• Victorian Naturalist, vol. xv., p 116 (iSgg) 



