242 Whitlock, Further Notes from Stirling Ranges, W.A. \^^f'^^^x 



greatly to resent the presence of this Babbler near their home. 

 I obtained a second egg of the Fan-tailed Cuckoo in the nest of 

 Ptilotis cratitia. The only other Cuckoo's eggs observed were 

 those of Chalcococcyx lasalis in nests of the Banded Wren {Malurtts 

 splendens). In one case the Wren's nest was deserted, and, in 

 addition to the Bronze-Cuckoo's egg, contained only one broken 

 egg of the lawful proprietors. 



To obtain a nest and eggs of Falcunculus leucogaster (White- 

 bellied Shrike-Tit) was one of the chief objects of my trip. Though 

 by no means a rare bird, it is a species difficult to observe, owing 

 to its habit of haunting the tops of gum-trees — seldom feeding 

 near the ground — and also on account of its quiet and unobtrusive 

 habits in general. It is a very busy bird, however, and a most 

 voracious feeder. The easiest method to find a pair in the large 

 tracts of white gums or yates (which it favours most), is to listen 

 for the soft but clear call notes. These may be represented by the 

 syllables, " Tuee, tuee, twee." It is nearly always the male that 

 calls, and he, too, leads the way from tree to tree in the incessant 

 search for food. Occasionally the male breaks into a little 

 chattering song, and on one or two occasions I heard him join 

 vigorously in an altercation between other birds. In the first 

 instance the members of a party of Platycerciis icterotis, our 

 local Rosella, were squabbling, and I was greatly puzzled by 

 hearing notes very similar to theirs, but distinguishable from them, 

 owing to the softer and more musical manner in which they were 

 uttered. The songster was a fine male Shrike-Tit. 



Until late in the spring the young of the previous year remain 

 in company with their parents ; and if the members of the party 

 are haunting low trees it is possible to distinguish them by the 

 feathers of the head being much less glossy, or in places dull, and 

 by the looser development of the crest. The Shrike-Tit is a fearless 

 little bird, and will search for food within a few feet of the 

 observer. Both sexes are indefatigable hunters, searching the 

 foliage and the bark of the various gum-trees. Occasionally I 

 have seen them hunting in acacia scrub for larvae, but have never 

 seen them on the ground. Their attitudes are very pleasing, and 

 infinitely varied. In hanging underneath a limb head downwards 

 they are very like the true Tits {ParidcB) of Europe. When a 

 caterpillar is found it is always carried in the beak to some con- 

 venient perch, and there firmly held down by one foot and devoured 

 piecemeal. Usually the head and tail are nipped off first and 

 rejected. The male shares his food with the female in a very 

 generous manner. Often she follows him about the tree, with 

 quivering wings and a querulous cry, but more often she is busily 

 searching for food on her own account. The quantity of grubs 

 eaten is astonishing, and the search appears to go on the whole 

 day, with few intermissions. I spent many hours watching these 

 birds, during the whole of two months, without seeing a sign of 

 their building. 



It was not until the beginning of October that 1 saw a female 



