Feb., 1909.] THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 159 



have just been received for description, accompanied by a 

 photograph taken by Mr. Gibson of the nest and eggs in sitit, and 

 with the following field notes : — 



" With regard to the finding of the nests of the Large-tailed 

 Grass-Wren {Amytis 'tnacrtirus), the first was made on 29th 

 August, 1909, as I was working througli a clump of thick bush, 

 when one of the birds suddenly flew out of a thick prickly bush 

 just in front of me; investigation revealed, much to my delight, 

 a nest right in the centre of the bush containing three slightly 

 incubated eggs. This nest was about two feet from the ground. 

 Next day I visited a similar clump of brush where I had noted a 

 pair of birds a couple of weeks previously, and within ten minutes 

 had dropped across a nest in an almost identical position ; this 

 nest was apparently just ready for eggs, and on returning in four 

 or five days I was, to put it mildly, somewhat disgusted to find 

 two broken eggs under the nest, evidently the work of a lizard. 

 However, in about a fortnight's time I had the satisfaction of 

 finding the nest of the same pair of birds in a very similar 

 position not a hundred yards from the original spot. In the 

 meantime I had visited the scene of the original find and again 

 obtaineii a set of three eggs in a similar bush about twenty yards 

 from the first one ; this was the last I saw of this pair of birds. 

 The scene of the second find was a small thicket, extending some 

 40 chains by 20 chains, about 4 miles out of Kalgoorlie. I visited 

 the spot regularly al)out every fortnight, with the results shown. 

 The skin sent was from here, and apparently one of the third 

 pair. In every case the new nest was found within a hundred 

 yards of the original one and generally in a very similar position. 

 There were three pairs of birds in this thicket, but I could not 

 locate the third nest; I doubt if the birds built. In every case 

 the nests were left for a day or two after the two eggs were laid, 

 so that the clutches are complete. The bush in which the photo- 

 graphed nest is situated was opened out so as to enable the 

 photograph to be taken. A similar nest taken 80 miles east of 

 Laverton early in November, 1905, contained one addled egg 

 and a small young bird ; the egg was very similar to those of the 

 set of three. 



" The following are the dates of taking nests : — 



1909. 



* 29th August, with 3 eggs, slightly incubated ... ....\Same pair birds, 



14th September, 3 eggs, fresli ... ... .../sets very similar. 



i6th St-ptember, 2 eggs, slightly incubated ... ..." 



29th September, 2 eggs, fresh .. ... ... Same pair birds, 



* I2th October, 2 eggs, fresh (i egg marked on small end),.. - all sets of eggs 

 In addiiioi), 30th August, nest nearly built, 2 broken very similar. 



eggs under nest, 4 days later ... ... ...J 



This pair of birds very tame (near nest), others usually extremely shy. 



* Sets sent for description. 



