238 Chandler, Field Notes on White -browed Field-Wren, [.^f April 



to cover. If one is lucky, he may flush the bird, but generally 

 several yards from where it alighted. Having seen a Calamanthus 

 enter a small clump of dwarf sheoaks, I trampled the undergrowth 

 under foot for several minutes, and failed to see a sign of it. 

 Remaining quiet for a while, I was surprised presently to see the 

 bird run — apparently from my feet — swiftly through the bushes. 

 In the early morning, when the grass is wet with dew, it is exceed- 

 ingly difficult to flush these birds. They seem to realize the 

 disadvantage of wet plumage, and trust almost entirely to their 

 powers of running and hiding to evade discovery. This habit 

 being characteristic of the genus, it requires much patience to 

 secure a specimen. If accompanied by a dog one's object is soon 

 attained, but without that ally one may waste a considerable 

 amount of time. 



The White-browed Field-Wren is not a wanderer, but restricts 

 itself to an area of ground fifty to a hundred yards square. At 

 different periods I have visited localities mentioned above and 

 noticed a bird singing on a favourite bush where one was observed 

 months before. From an examination of several roosting-places 

 it would appear that the birds perch at night about a foot above 

 the ground in dv^2iXis\ieo3.\i.s {Casiiarina distyla). Of course, this 

 applies to country where stunted gum saplmgs are not growing. 

 I have noticed nests only in August, September, and October, the 

 one nest observed in August being found by Mr. F. E. Wilson, 

 R.A.O.U. A nest found at Frankston with the aid of a setter 

 dog, on the 17th October, igii, contained two addled eggs. During 

 a heavy fall of rain the nest had been swamped, and was conse- 

 quently deserted by the owners. Wet weather in swampy country 

 causes a number of birds to desert their nests, and this possibly 

 accounts for the extended breeding period. 



Early in April, 1909, a bird was seen chasing another through 

 the bushes, and several males on dissection disclosed the fact that 

 the breeding season was at hand. A female which was obtained 

 showed no signs of breeding. The staple diet of the Calamanthus 

 is, possibly, insects. The stomach of one bird contained a number 

 of a species of ant, and that of another grass seeds and small 

 beetles. Snakes and blue-tongue lizards no doubt eat the eggs 

 and young of this species. I have had two narrow escapes from 

 being bitten by a snake when searching for the closely-hidden nest 

 of the Calamanthus. My father, on one occasion, hearing some 

 young birds squeaking in distress, hurried to the spot and caught 

 a blue-tongue lizard in the act of devouring a nestling. On cutting 

 the lizard, open a second bird was obtained. The young birds in 

 the nest exhibit as much timidity as their parents. One chick, 

 when I approached the nest, stood on its head, with its stumpy tail 

 erected above its back. It squeaked with fear as I handled it, 

 and, although scarcely able to run, made desperate efforts to escape 

 through the grass. Foiled in its attempts, it again stood on its 

 head, and remained in that position while I was in the vicinity. 



The nests of C. albiloris examined were in most cases loosely 



