INSESSORES. 387 



birds take a long time in building their nests : one found on 

 the Gth of August was not finished until the 25 th of that 

 month ; on the 30th three eggs were taken from it. This 

 nest was suspended from the roof of a small cave in the gully 

 of George's River, near Macquarie Fields, and was composed 

 of rootlets and spiders' webs, warmly lined with feathers and 

 opossum-fur; it contained three eggs of a pure and glossy 

 white, each of which was 8^ lines in length by 6^ in breadth. 



"The breeding-season lasts from August to December, 

 during which two broods are reared. 



" I have never found more than one nest or one pair of 

 birds near the same part of the gully ; and I do not think 

 they will make their nests near each other, much less under 

 the same rock." 



Its food consists of insects of various kinds. 



Its note is a low squeaking sound, which it utters while 

 hopping about the rocks with its tail raised above the level 

 of the body, after the manner of some of the Acanthizce. 



The sexes are precisely similar in their plumage, which 

 may be thus described : — 



AU the upper surface and wings dull brown ; tail brownish 

 black ; throat grey ; under surface dark rusty red ; forehead 

 slightly washed with ferruginous red; irides dark reddish 

 brown; bill and feet brownish black, the former rather 

 lighter than the latter. 



Genus CALAMANTHUS, Gould. 



This genus comprises two species, one inhabiting Tasmania, 

 the other Southern and Western Australia ; they are terres- 

 trial in their habits, but occasionally perch on the smaller 

 branches of the trees. 



2 c 2 



