NEW SOUTH WALES 103 



INLAND DISTRIBUTION: TREE RUNNERS 

 (Neositta) 



Recognition mark: 1. Brown spot. 



2. White spot. 



3. Combined spots. 



Tree runners travel up the stems of trees, which 

 is the reverse of the Tree creepers. The needle 

 like beaks have an upward curve, being most 

 unusual. They have a love of the beautiful in nest 

 building and enemies cannot readily detect the 

 camouflage in their surroundings. The body-marks 

 make the fourth interesting point in their life 

 history. The species of the southern section of 

 Australia has the brown wing-spot, the white 

 speculum being in that of the northern section. 

 The central section of the continent has the con- 

 necting link, half of each speculum. This is 

 interesting as a general classification in the dis- 

 tribution of colour. There is another type of 

 classification. (G. M. Matthews, 191:^ list. p. 379). 



This genus is the Australian representation of 

 the European Nut-hatches. 



The family relationships are of the most pleasant 

 kind, as e.g. birds not nesting. If the mate of a 

 pair about to lay eggs is killed, the hen will lay in 

 another bird's nest, and all will take turns in sitting 

 on the eggs, and hatching out in the usual time. 



