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Some Tasmanian birds' nests.



had had the lens of a camera within a yard without betraying any

fear, still cleaving to the eggs, which reposed on cowhair and a little

wool.


A third nest was found in a similar situation, and contained

three eggs just chipping on October 28th, and on November 2nd

there were three young with eyes closed, the bodies partly covered

with a blackish down. The eggs of this fine bird measure about

•9 x ‘7 in. The Striated Field-Wren (Calamanthus fuliginosus )

sings sweetly his wild little ditty from the top of a tall tussock, stem

of tea-tree, or fence-post, all through the cold, often wet, months of

winter and spring. He loves the swampy plains near the beach,

where abound the great “ saggs ” or tussocks amid w T hich he passes

a large part of his existence. Our species was formerly considered

identical with that of similar habitat on the mainland of Australia,

but was separated by Mr. G. M. Mathews in his “ Hand-list ” of

1908, the Tasmanian form retaining the name of “ fuliginosus ” or

“ sooty,” while the Victorian is distinguished as “ albiloris."


By making my way through the swamps I have discovered a

number of Calamanthus nests, several not being new, but well pre¬

served, owing to their being packed away in snug positions. It has

been stated that this songster builds under the overhanging tussocks

and in the midst of small bushes ; it may do so in some parts of the

country, but in this district my experience has been that the domiciles

are packed away right down in the tussocks, and usually towards

he south-east side of the bunch of drooping blades, so as to be

sheltered from the prevailing north-west winds, which sweep at

times with much severity across Bass Strait. The structure is large

and domed, with side entrance, made principally of dry grass mixed

with a quantity of green moss, the sides thick and massive, so as to

render it warm and cosy inside, this effect being considerably

enhanced by the plentiful lining of feathers with which it is provided.

A quantity of vegetable matter, such as portions of dry tussock-

blades, is first put down into the clump where the blades converge

towards the base, and this forms a foundation to keep the super¬

structure in position. In one of those found, an old nest seemed to

form the base for the new one, to raise it well up from the wet,

marshy plain. In many cases the top front of the nest appears to



