376 BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 



feather ; cheeks, throat, and a line from the nostrils over each 

 eye greyish white ; chest and under sm-face yellowish white, 

 passing into light olive-brown on the flanks ; upper surface 

 and wings olive-brown ; rump and upper tail-coverts bright 

 citron-yellow ; base of the tail-feathers white, tinged with 

 yellow; the external margin of the outer feathers and the 

 tips of all brownish grey, the central portion blackish brown ; 

 bill and feet blackish brown ; irides very light grey. 



Sp. 230. GEOBASILEUS REGULOIDES. 



BUFF-RUMPED GeOBASILEUS. 



Acnnthiza reguloides, Vig. and Horsf. in Linn. Trans., vol. xv. p. 226. 

 Geubasileus reguloides, Cab. Mus. Hein., Theil i. p. 32, note. 

 Dwarf Warbler, var. /3?, Lath. Gen. Hist._, vol. vii. p. 135. 



Acanthiza reguloides, Gould, Birds of Australia, foL, voL ill. pi. 62. 



Many of the actions of this little bird offer a close resem- 

 blance to those of the Geobasileus chrysorrJious ; like that 

 species, it moves about in small flocks of from eight to fifteen 

 in number; when flushed shows the yellow or buff" of the 

 rump very conspicuously ; always spreads its tail while flying ; 

 flits along with a jerking motion, and is very tame. It is ex- 

 tremely common in South Australia, where I observed it in 

 every part of the country I visited ; in New South Wales I 

 found it in the interior beyond the ranges, and also on the 

 bare ridges between Patrick's Plains and the Liverpool range. 

 I did not meet with it in Tasmania. It evinces a decided 

 preference for the open country or hills shghtly covered with 

 brush, where it can feed on the ground and fly to the low 

 shrub-like trees when disturbed ; I have also seen it busily 

 engaged among the branches, apparently in search of insects, 

 in the pursuit of which, like the other members of the genus, 

 it displays unusual alertness and address. 



Its domed nest is placed among the foliage of the gum, 

 swamp-oak, and other trees, and is composed of fine grasses. 



