6 CHISHOLM, Notes on Tz.'o AVzc Birds. [\^sthlw 



This latest call was a suggestive one. not sweet, nor \et hard, 

 but ratlier plaintive and anxious — perhaps soundin,:; iis docs a 

 child's toy balloon when descending. Standing still, I did my 

 best with an imitation of a (listres^ed young bird; and imme- 

 diately there was commotion. A female Atrichoniis appeared 

 on the ground a dozen yards away, seeming almost black in the 

 half-light, and continually uttered the s(|ueaking iiotc. This 

 was excellent ! Here was the bird which had been sought for. 

 at intervals, during 5^ years, and which had been so elusive — 

 had set such a ''stay-at-home" example to wives generally — that 

 it was only recently a specimen had been secured ! There was 

 romance in the find, romance in the surroundings, added to 

 which was a ])rospect of adding new observations to our scanty 

 knowledge of a very restricted and remarkable genus. 



To begin with, I was particularly anxious to prove whether the 

 species could fly or not. Jackson had stated tiatlv that it could 

 not do so.'-' and I had been inclined to agree with him, basing 

 the belief on the small size of the bird's wings and on the close- 

 ness with which the few I had seen hugged the ground. ( In 

 the event of this supposition i)roving correct, would not the 

 species be the only small non-flying bird in the world?) iJut 

 definite proof on the ])oint was soon forthcoming. As the 

 deluding squeak was continued, the now frantic little bird kept 

 rushing hither and thither at express speed. So ra])id were her 

 movements that it was impossible, in the bad light — the time was 

 late afternoon — to determine whether she was running or hop- 

 ping. Once or twice she bounced on to logs, but always wa-^ 

 off again without an instant of rest. Presently, awaiting a 

 favouraljle opportunity, I sj^rang at the bird as she came almost 

 within arm's reach. The test worked : she ftci^' about three 

 yards. Resolutely, however, she refused to leave the spot. 

 Something potent, it was clear, was holding the bird: accordingly. 

 we co!iimenced a close search for a nest. 



Finding nothing in the cluni]) of grass, I watched the energetic 

 little Imndle as she scamjierefl along a log and jumped to the 

 grounfi. Tlien was revealed a >oung Atriciioriiis. ai)parently 

 ver}- like its parents in colour. Ijut minus the curious tail-point. 

 The little creature watched keenly as I crept along towards it. 

 and then went oft' briskly, partly flying and partly running. I'ol- 

 lowing up, I dived at the youngster, missed, and started it to- 

 wards the spot where Smith was waiting. That action settled 

 the flight question. The young Scrub-P>ird flew, quite cleanly, 

 a couple of feet above the ground, for a distance of fully ten 

 yards ! It was a revelation. Bird babies born on the ground are 

 usually able to fly soon after birth, but this little feat was hanllv 

 to be 'Expected in the case of the anomalous Atrichornis, bird of 

 rudimentary wings. 



*"This small, non-flyinp: bird. "—Jackson. 



