290 BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 



Sp. 173. DRYMODES BRUNNEOPYGIA, Gould. 



Scrub-Robin. 

 Drymodes hrunneopygia, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc, part viii. p. 170. 



Drymodes brunneopygia, Gould, Birds of Australia, foL, vol. iii. 

 pi. 10. 



I discovered this singular bird in the great Murray Scrub, 

 where it was tolerably abundant ; I have never seen it from 

 any other part of the country, and it is doubtless confined 

 to such portions of Australia as are clothed with a similar 

 character of vegetation. It is a quiet and inactive species, 

 resorting much to the ground, over which and among the 

 underwood it passes with great ease ; it appeared rarely to 

 take wing, but to depend for security upon its dexterity in 

 hopping away to the more scrubby parts. I have occasionally 

 observed it mount to the most elevated part of a low bush, 

 and there pour forth a sharp monotonous whistling note, not 

 very unlike that of some of the PachyceplialincB ; indeed it 

 was its note that first attracted my attention to it. When 

 on the ground, and occasionally when perched on a twig, 

 it elevates its tail considerably, but not to the extent of the 

 Maluri. 



The sexes are alike in colouring, but the female is much 

 smaller than her mate ; the young resemble the immature 

 Petroicas in the character of their plumage. 



Head and all the upper surface brown, passing into rufous 

 brown on the upper tail- coverts j wings dark brown, the 

 coverts and primaries edged with dull white ; primaries and 

 secondaries crossed near the base on their inner webs with 

 pure white ; tail rich brown, all but the two middle feathers 

 tipped with white ; under surface greyish brown, passing into 

 buff on the under tail-coverts ; irides, bill, and feet blackish 

 brown. 



Total length 8 inches ; lull f; wing3|; tail 4J; tarsi \\. 



