19 1 7'] Dirk Hartog Island and Peron Peninsula. 595 



string of camels, while I " tailed ^' them behind) pointed 

 to a Wren with white shoulders perched on a bush some 

 distance away from the track. I dismounted, and followed 

 the bird a long way before it was secured. It proved to be 

 a real black and white Wren, so one of the main objects 

 of the trip was already accomplished ! 



The bird was exceedingly wild and gave some idea of the 

 difficulty to be experienced in obtaining more specimens, 

 especially as it was the first one seen after riding more than 

 thirty miles through most likely looking scrub. However, 

 later on in the year, when the adult males had all assumed 

 their breeding-plumage, and more experience had been 

 gained of their habits, and the sort of scrub which they 

 mostly appreciated, a good series of examples in all phases of 

 plumage was obtained. The adult males were almost in- 

 variably exceedingly wild and difficult to approach, but the 

 females and immature males could always be ''chirped" 

 close up to one, often to within a yard, and would remain 

 there, usually on the top twigs of a small bush, as long as 

 one remained motionless. If (as very rarely happened) an 

 adult male is come upon suddenly, as when rounding a big 

 bush, it may remain motionless for a few seconds, but if a 

 male bird is not secured as soon as it is sighted, it is very 

 seldom that a second chance is given, because, if followed, 

 the bird keeps taking a longer flight every time it is 

 approached, and is finally lost to sight. Once only, on open 

 ground covered with low growth not more than a foot in 

 height, an adult male was seen perched on a dry stick. As 

 there was no cover to take, I approached the bird openly, 

 and it remained motionless until shot. It was useless at- 

 tempting to " chirp " up an old male, but sometimes, when 

 a party of females and young birds was intently watching 

 me and listening to my " chirping,^' the male was seen 

 lurking in the dense foliage of a neighbouring bush, but 

 would not openly expose itself. A full-plumaged male is 

 usually accompanied by a party of from six to ten females 

 and young birds, and leads them away out of danger at high 

 speed, necessitating hard running to keep them in sight. 



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