68 Agricultural Journal of Victoria. 



THE BABBLER. 



{Pomatorhinus temporalis, Vigors and Horsfield.) 

 f'SvN. Pomatostomus temporalis.) 



By C. French, F.L.8. 



The Babbler is commouly but erroneously known locally as the 

 Cat Bird^ probably because when a number are gathered together the 

 noises they naake bear so striking a resemblance to the mew of a cat, 

 that the stranger hearing them for the first time would naturally con- 

 clude that several cats were in the vicinity. This bird is undoubtedly 

 one of the best friends of the orchadist, as it exhibits a striking- 

 partiality for the larvae and pupae of the codlin moth. On a visit to 

 Somerville some time ago, Mr. G. Shepherd drew my attention to a 

 number of these birds in an orchard some distance from his nursery. 

 They were very busy climbing up and down the apple and pear trees, 

 hunting in the crevices of the bark and under the bandages for 

 the grubs, and as fully a. dozen were engaged in this useful and self- 

 imposed task, their combined efforts would result in a very decided 

 benefit. Incidents such as this are of almost every day occurrence 

 and serve to give some idea of the value of these birds as insect 

 destroyers. 



Gould states that " the sexes do not differ in outward appearance, 

 and may thus be described : — 



Throat, centre of breast, and a broad stripe over each eye, white ; 

 lores and ear-coverts, dark brown ; centre of the crown, back, and 

 sides of the neck, greyish-brown, gradually deepening to a very dark 

 brown on the wing-coverts, back, and scapularies ; wings very dark- 

 brown with the exception of the inner webs of the primaries, which 

 are rufous for three-fourths of their length from the base ; tail-coverts 

 and tail, black, the latter largely tipped with pure white ; abdomen 

 and flanks, dark-brown, stained with rusty-red ; bill, blackish-olive- 

 brown, except the basal portion of the lower mandible which is greyish- 

 white ; irides in the adult straw-yellow, in the yoimg, brown ; feet, 

 blackish-brown . ' ' 



The nests are bulky with the entrance at the side, and are composed 

 of dried sticks or rootlets lined with fur, bark, or other similar material. 

 Unfortunately they are easily detected, and often placed within reach 

 of mischievous little boys. Some I have noticed in small gum trees or 

 she-oaks only a few feet fi^om the ground, where they are easily robbed 

 and many young birds destroyed. 



The interesting note made by Mr. Campbell in regard to the habits 

 of these birds, to the effect that several retire to the one nest at night, 

 I am able to confirm from my own observations. On many occasions 

 I have observed several birds to fiy from a nest when the inmates were 

 disturbed just about dusk. 



