116 THE VICTOKIAN NATURALIST. 



year is devoid of the colour that appears in what I consider to 

 be a two-year-old bird ; there is no orange on the breasts of 

 many birds I have observed closely in July and August, when 

 birds of this genus are breeding and have made their moult. 

 I have found the brown females to be much more numerous 

 than the adult forms, and confirmation of this can generally 

 be made where manure hillocks are placed in gardens or 

 fields adjacent to timber. There is an example upon the 

 table for your inspection. Perhaps some of our members may be 

 in a position to prove that these females moult subsequently to 

 these months, even though the birds have left the open for the 

 covert. 



In the same month (August, 1896) I was surprised to 

 find that an apparent female Pink-breasted Robin had for its 

 companions solitude and myself, according to the view I felt 

 inclined to take after a noiseless twenty minutes' watch. This 

 bird certainly chooses a spot where the land lies quiet and the 

 creek is sheltered. I could not understand why a female robin 

 should be so lonely for so long a time, and I would just as soon 

 have watched a Podargus if it had occasionally moved. Upon 

 further investigation I found this bird to be an unmatured young 

 male of last year's brood, with a faint trace of pink on and just 

 above the abdomen ; but daylight was needed, the colour being 

 so faint. I take it that this bird had finally moulted for the year, 

 but if not it must have been one of a very late brood. The 

 under portion of the feet was only half as bright as that of a female 

 obtained fourteen days previous. If in the killing of these birds 

 I have offended an observer, the only recompense I can give is 

 this short paper, the loan of the skins, and the dead bodies for 

 dissection, if such is his or her wish, and if any member of our 

 club could make use of a variety of bird bodies I would be glad to 

 occasionally supply specimens for investigation, and by so doing 

 my responsibility in the matter of killing would be greatly reduced. 



A Wimmera correspondent, Mr. J. A. Hill, has carefully 

 observed that the Red-capped Robin does not mature until the 

 second year. An undeveloped pair has just bred in his district, 

 the crown of the head and breast showing very pale red in the 

 male, and the same particularly faint in the female. The male is 

 on the table this evening. The same field-observer has carefully 

 noted that the Hooded Robin breeds before signs of maturity 

 appear, and the full livery is not donned in the first year, as with 

 some of the robins — for example, the Yellow-breasted Robin, 

 noted by Gould, and easily observed each year as an instance. 

 In conclusion I would say that these short notes are simply 

 offered with the hope that other members of the Club will give a 

 little consideration to the question, and favour us with their 

 opinions. 



