OF SOUTHERN AUSTRALIA. 63 



large gum. It is made of bark and grass, and lined with 

 feathers or any other soft material available. 



Eggs. — Three or four to a sitting ; white, faintly spotted at 

 the larger end with pale reddish-brown and purplish-brown. 

 Length, 0.6 inch ; breadth, 0.45 inch. 



BROWN TIT 



(Scrub Thornbill), 

 Acantliiza pusilla, Lath. 



A-kan-thi'zd pu-sil'cL 

 Akanthis, a linnet ; pusillus, very small. 

 AcANTHizA PUSiLLA, Gould, " Birds of Australia," fol., vol. iii., pi. 53. 

 Geogeaphical Distribution. — Areas 3, 4. 



Key to the Species. — General appearance light olive-greenish ; band 

 on tail subterminal ; throat ashy-white ; head like back, except 

 scaly feathers on forehead ; throat and breast perceptibly streaked 

 with dusky black ; upper tail coverts reddish, contrasting with 

 upper parts of body ; no white tips to tail feathers ; forehead pale 

 rufous, with dusky brown tips to feathers ; flanks light fulvous 

 brown. Wing, 2 inches; tail, 1.75 inches. 



The httle Brown Tit is a bird one will often find located in 

 the Melaleuca. 



Although it is very small, and difficult of observation in the 

 thick foliage of creek or upland timber, its pleasant and varied 

 voice will help one to trace its whereabouts. The notes are 

 liquid and musical, variously pitched and extensive ; heard 

 to advantage only when one is near, for its mellow voice is 

 not strong enough to penetrate beyond the distance of a few 

 yards. 



In a single observation communicated to me the time 

 occupied in laying three eggs was six days ; thus each egg was 



