McGILP — A'ofe.s- on Varioii.t liirds. 99 



quarter of a mile of it. All other birds observed in the district 

 were noted at the water. This Whiteface started to nest, in com- 

 mon with Orange-fronted Chat, White-winged Wren, and Chest- 

 nut crowned Babbler, three weeks before the drought broke. The 

 nest is a bulky, retort shaped structure, the outside being of 

 twigs or brauchletsiof the "Roily poley" (Buck Bush), and in- 

 side I his a layer of dried flower stems and flower pods, with a 

 final snug lining of soft feathers. The noticeable thing about 

 the nest is the long, narrow entrance, one I measured being 9 in. 

 long, and only^l^ inches in diameter; this is only scantily lined 

 with feathers for about half the distance from the egg chamber, 

 The nesting places noted were in a Buckbush,( usually a half- 

 green one, which showed up the nest conspicuously, it usually 

 being of a very dark. colour ; the nest Avas also found in a prickly 

 acacia, called "Dead finish;'' the reason for the name can be 

 readily understood if one accidently comes in ^contact with it. 

 I noted that both birds took part in building the nest. They 

 left the nest, together, and only one, the female, I presume, in 

 returning carried material, the other bird accompanied her to 

 the bush, whereon he sat and whistled until the former had 

 placed the material in the nest. Then the mate flew off alone, 

 and returned with material which the female who had remained, 

 took and placed in the nest. After this, both birds flew oflf to 

 again repeat this system ; this was done without variation for 

 over an hour, though, of course, I was not.able to identify the 

 female. The clutch appeared to be of two eggs, only, for 

 only one clutch of three Avas noted, and several nests contain- 

 ing two very young birds were observed, but as I left the district 

 a few days after the rain, I was, not able to note if the young 

 from the nest had the black band. Very few eggs 

 were hatched out before the rain. Did these birds know that 

 the drought was to break or was it a good guess? 



These birds do not resent one touching, the nest, or eggs or 

 young, which is rather strange, as it is necessary to almost de- 

 stroy the long, narrow.entrance in order to inspect the contents 

 f»f the nest. 



Ejifhiannni (tiirifroux ( Orange-fronted Chat). — This bird 

 commenced breeding about three weeks before the rain. The 

 clutch was two eggs; only one of three was noted out of fully 

 fifty nests visited. I noted a rather peculiar habit in the-se 

 pietty creatures. The male sits on the nest from daylight (or 

 as soon as T was able to .see) up till 10 o'clock, and though scores 

 of times T visited the nests to test this, I failed to flush the fe 

 male during these hours, and the male was never flushed from 



