OF SOUTHERN AUSTRALIA. 69 



The call is a single tinny note at times, but at others it 

 will break into an exquisite melody of various notes. 



Its nest is very small : therein the young fledglings are 

 crowded to what might well be an uncomfortable extent. A 

 nest containing three nearly fledged young, two inside taking 

 up the whole interior, and the third perched on top, is a truly 

 novel sight. 



Nest. — Very small, open, compactly built of grass, densely 

 cloaked externally with cobweb, and the base tapering 

 considerably to resemble the middle portion of a wine-glass. 

 The accompanying plate illustrates it. 



Eggs. — Two, three, or even four to a sitting ; ground colour 

 creamy-white, with or without a zone of nearly obsolete spots 

 towards the broad apex. Length, 0.6 inch ; breadth, 0.5 

 inch. 



RUFOCJS-FRONTED FANTAIL, 



Rhipidura riififroiis Lath. 



RJii-pid' u-rd ritf'-i-fruns. 

 Rhipis, a fan ; oura, a tail ; rufus, red ; frons, forehead. 

 Rhipiduba rufifrons, Gould, " Birds of Australia," fol., vol. ii., pi. 84. 

 Geographical Distribution. — Areas 2, 3, 4, 6. 



Key to the Species. — Frontal plumes, eyebrows, and bases of central 

 tail feathers rufous for nearly two-thirds their length ; fore-neck 

 scaled in appearance, the feathers black, broadly edged with white ; 

 head and neck brown ; tail longer than wing. 



This bird is easily identified, for it is aptly described by its 

 common name, the whole of its front exhibiting a rufous 

 appearance. 



