Vol. xv.-i Cuisi\o\.M, No/es Oil t/w Y/'//ow-b('l/ifd S/inkc-'J'i/. 8l 



may have l)een an i'.\C(.'i)ti()n. l)ut it is easy" to niistaki' tlie tine 

 bark or pulpy wood lor grasses il the liirds arr not Seen obtaining 

 the material. In regard to size, most ol tlic dozen odd nests I 

 have examincnl, though showing various little distinctions in out- 

 line, presented slight variations, and nearly agreed with those 

 given by Mr. H. L. White in respect of the nest of the Yellow 

 Shrike-Tit {F. whitei). They were all deep enough to give the 

 sitting bird plenty of purchase — a very necessary thing on 

 windy days. One nest in my possession has an inside depth of 

 2\ inches, with a width of i-J- inches. Naturally, only the tip of 

 the tail and bill of the bird could be seen when she was brooding, 

 and it was a puzzle how she reached the eggs at all. Mention of 

 the swaying of the nest calls to mind the habit the Shrike-Tit has 

 of nipping off leaves from above its nest. Why is this done ? 

 I have not heard or read any ornithologist's explanation, but 

 members of a school-class to whom I showed a nest suggested that 

 the object was to lessen the swaying of the slender branch — a 

 logical assumption. When occasion warrants it, however, the 

 leaves above the nest are left intact, and, if the branchlet be too 

 fine, it is not stripped of its bark. (The absence of this leaf-clipping 

 seems apparent in Mr. Whitlock's photograph of the nest of F. 

 leiicogaster.) 



Altogether, the Shrike-Tit, in my opinion, is one of the most 

 marvellous bird artists. With a bill heavier than that of any 

 other Australian bird of its size, it builds a nest that is a model 

 of symmetry and stabiUty. Of the eggs — deep white, heavily 

 flecked with lilac — I have not seen much, but broods in the Mary- 

 borough district have usually numbered three, sometimes two. 



The average period from the start of the nest to the departure 

 of the young I found to be about six weeks. Building operations 

 are usually completed in httle more than a week ; incubation 

 takes about 20 days ; and the young grow to the flight stage in, 

 roughly, three weeks. When this period is closing, signs of 

 restlessness in the nest may be observed from below. The flapping 

 of little wings shows that the chicks are eager to be abroad, and a 

 shaking of the nesting-tree at once starts them. Then commotion 

 reigns. With crests erect and tails spread wide, the parents flit 

 anxiously about, rapidly uttering a harsh, chiding " Charr-charr," 

 and now and again breaking into the piping whistle. Fired with a 

 spirit of emulation, the young birds do their best to swell the 

 medley, and chime in with a " Ta-ta-ta," " Choo-choo-choo," 

 In colour they are, of course, more subdued than the parents, 

 esjiecially about the throat, where the only darkness is at the 

 base of the feathers. The crest is develo})ed early, and seems to 

 afford its owner unlimited satisfaction. 



As with the nest-building, so with the hatching — the female 

 does the greater part of the work. One pair I observed, however, 

 relieved each other at regular intervals during a hot spell. Each 

 bird would hunt for food for a few minutes, and, while an adjacent 

 Yellow-breasted Shrike-Robin })n'sented all its gleanings to its 



