^°'i9'^''] ^Vhitlock, Furthey Soles from Stirlmi^ Ranges, W .A . 24I 



tussock ol coarse grass, 18 inches from the earth. I caught a 

 young one able to fly at the end of August, so that the species 

 must be an early breeder. The fully-fledged young closely re- 

 semble their parents. The Rock Field-Wren is not double- 

 brooded, but, naturally, some pairs are much later than others 

 in breeding, and fresh eggs may be obtained from the beginning 

 of August to the beginning of October I found this s})ecies more 

 common on the open sand-plains and around the margins of salt 

 lakes than on the slopes of the foothills. Both the male and 

 female utter the simi)le, but pleasing, little song, which may be 

 heard at daybreak and for half an hour after sunset. The female 

 is a very close sitter. Three nests that J found were within a few 

 feet of a frequently used track. None was really concealed, or even 

 sheltered. The entrance seemed usually to face the east or north. 



Sericornis macula/a, the Spotted Scrub-Wren, is by no means 

 a rare bird in the Ranges in suitable haunts ; but. owing to the dense 

 nature of the scrubs and the secreti\-e habits of the female during 

 the actual nesting season, the nest is a difflcult one to find. I 

 managed to secure only one. This was placed in an excavation 

 made by the parent bird at the foot of a tuft of sedgy grasses 

 growing on a scrub-covered sandbank. The nest was like that 

 of Hylacola caitta or Cnlamanthiis montanellus. but rather loosely 

 woven, and with coarser material externally. I found this nest 

 by flushing the female from the eggs, which were fresh, and may 

 possibly have been a second laying, as other broods were already 

 on the wing. 



Cinclosonui castanuiiotimi (Chestnut-backed Ground-Bird) does 

 not extend its range much further south, in this State, than 

 the Stirlings. where it is by no means common. At one of my 

 camping-places, in a large tract of white gum timber, I found 

 one or two pairs, and had the good fortune to walk right up to 

 a sitting bird, which flew off her eggs close to my feet. The nest 

 was a deep excavation in a very sparse tuft of fine grass, which 

 in nc way hid it from view. The interior was neatly lined with 

 fine, flat grasses. The nest contained two fresh eggs, which were 

 both true to the already described type. The female was v^ery 

 wary. I wished to photograph her near the nest, but she ex- 

 hausted my patience, and would not come nearer than within 

 20 or 30 yards, where she remained sheltered by some low bush. 

 This nest was in the open, and away from any tree-trunk or other 

 natural shelter. 



One of the first eggs I took on this trip was that of Cacumuiitis 

 fiabelliformis (Fan-tailed Cuckoo). The foster-parent in this 

 instance was Acanthiza apicalis (Broad-tailed Tit). These Tits 

 were particularly unfortunate. They had the great industry to 

 build three nests. The first was invaded by the Fan-tailed Cuckoo, 

 and I regret to say both the latter were pillaged by some lizard 

 or other enemy, which tears out the bottom of the nest to get at 

 the eggs or young. I am rather inclined to suspect the White- 

 browed Babbler of doing this mischief. All nesting birds seem 



