OF SOUTHERN AUSTRALIA. 47 



broods in a season — the first in August and the second in 

 December. Very young birds are flying about in September, 

 and birds accompany their parents till April. The young 

 males of a previous year nest in the following August, but 

 they are unmatured as regards their plumage, and resemble 

 the hen birds rather than the old males. This early breeding 

 applies also to the Hooded Robin. 



Red-cap is specially sensitive to danger, and when any 

 person approaches the nest or young the male feigns a broken 

 wing, and with active legs drags itself along the ground, hoping 

 by this means to draw the intruder away from the seat of 

 anxiety. Mr. Hill, who has had considerable experience with 

 the birds of his district, considers this species the most useful 

 insectivorous bird in the Mallee adjacent to the Murray. I 

 am inclined to think that the first red-breast seen in Australia 

 by a naturalist was perched upon a boulder on a winter's 

 day, hence the name, meaning rock family. Robins are 

 often seen on a stony field, and flit from one rock to another, 

 resting a considerable time on each in the intervals of their 

 flight. The hen birds are not of themselves inusical, but 

 apparently enjoy listening to the song of two or three males, 

 who pour forth a short stream of melody delightful even 

 to the human ear. 



Nest. — A delicate cup-like structure of the same material 

 as that of the previous species, but more neatly built ; very 

 prettily ornamented outside with mosses, and so appears like 

 an excrescence of the bough or fork on which it may be 

 placed. 



Eggs. — Generally four to a sitting, sometimes three. Ground 

 colour greenish-grey, with lilac-brown spots, especially around 

 the greatest diameter of the breadth. Length, 0.6 inch ; 

 breadth, 0.5 inch. 



