INSESSORES. 403 



Sp. 247. CALAMOIIERPE LONGIROSTRIS, GoidcL 



Long-billed Reed-Warbler. 



Calamoherpe longirostris, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc, part xiii. p. 20. 



tf If 



Goor-jee-goor-jee, Aborigines of the lowland districts of Western Aus- 

 tralia. 



Acroceplialus longirostris, Gould, Birds of Australia, foL, vol. iii. 

 pi. 38. 



The present bird, which I have designated longirostris, is 

 the largest of the two species of Calamoherpe known to in- 

 habit Australia. 



It is a native of the western portion of the country, where 

 I learn from Gilbert's notes that " it is to be found in all the 

 dense reed-beds bordering the river and lakes around Perth, 

 but is so shy that it scarcely ever shows itself above the reeds. 

 I have remarked also that it never wanders many yards from 

 the nest, which is placed on four or five upright reeds growing 

 in the water at about two feet from the surface. It is of a 

 deep cup-shaped form, and is composed of the soft skins of 

 reeds and dried rushes. The breeding-season comprises the 

 months of August and September. The eggs are four in 

 number, of a dull greenish white, blotched all over, but parti- 

 cularly at the larger end, with large and small irregularly 

 shaped patches of olive, some being darker than the others, 

 the lighter-coloured ones appearing as if beneath the sur- 

 face of the shell ; they are three-quarters of an inch in length 

 by five- eighths of an inch in breadth. 



" It sings both night and day, and its strain is more beau- 

 tiful and melodious than that of any other Australian bird 

 with which I am acquainted ; being in many parts very like 

 to that of the far-famed Nightingale of Europe. 



" The stomach is tolerably muscular, and the food consists 

 of coleopterous and other kinds of insects." 



Faint line over the eye fawn-colour ; all the upper surface 

 reddish brown, becoming more rufous on the upper tail- 



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