388 BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 



Sp. 237. CALAMANTHUS FULIGINOSUS. 



Striated Calamanthus. 



Anthus fuliginosus, Vig. and Horsf. in Linn. Trans., vol. xv. p. 230. 

 Praticola fuliginosa, G. R. Gray, List of Gen. of Birds, 2nd edit. p. 27. 



Calamanthus fuliginosus, Gould, Birds of Australia, foL, vol. iii. 

 pL70. 



This species is very generally dispersed over Tasmania, 

 where it frequents open forests and sandy land covered v^^ith 

 scrub and dwarf shrub-like trees. It carries its tail erect, 

 like the Maluri, but differs from the members of that group 

 in moving that organ in a lateral direction whenever it 

 perches, and at the termination of a succession of hops on the 

 ground, over which it passes with great celerity, depending 

 at all times for safety more on this power than on that of flight. 

 It eludes pursuit by running through a bush to the opposite 

 side, and hopping off to another beyond, which it does quite 

 unseen unless closely watched. It builds a dome-shaped nest, 

 which is placed on the ground, and frequently so hidden by 

 the surrounding grass as to be with great difficulty discovered; 

 a small narrow avenue of a yard in length, like the run of a 

 mouse, being frequently resorted to by the bird, expressly, as 

 one would suppose, to avoid detection. The eggs are three or 

 four in number, rather large and somewhat round in form, of a 

 reddish wood-brown, obscurely clouded with markings of 

 reddish brown, the larger end of the eggs being the darkest ; 

 their medium length is ten lines and a half, and breadth eight 

 lines and a half. 



The nest is formed of dried grasses and leaves, and is 

 warmly lined with feathers. The breeding-season commences 

 in September and lasts until January. 



This species emits so strong an odour, that pointers and 

 other game-dogs stand to it as they do to a quail, and that 

 too at a considerable distance. It possesses a clear and 



