OF VICTORIA. 63 



Nest. — Very small, open, compactly built of grass, 

 densely cloaked externally with cobweb, and the base 

 tapering considerably to resemble the middle portion of a 

 wine-glass. The accompanying plate illustrates it. 



Eggs. — Two, three, or even four to a sitting ; ground 

 colour creamy white, with or without a zone of nearly 

 obsolete spots towards the broad apex. Length, 0"6 inch ; 

 breadth, 0*5 inch. 



RUFOUS FAN-TAIL, 



Rliipidura rufifroiis, Lath. 



Rip-i'durd ruf'i-frons. 

 Ehipis, a fan ; oura, a tail ; rujus, red ; frons, front. 



Rhipidura rufifrons, Gould, "Birds of Australia," foL, vol. ii., 



pi. 84. 



Geographical Distribution. — Areas 2, 3, 4, 6. 



Key to the Species. — Frontal plumes, eyebrows, and bases of 

 central tail feathers rufous for nearly two-thirds their length ; 

 fore-neck scaled in appearance, the feathers black broadly edged 

 with white ; head and neck brown ; tail longer than wing. 



The common name of the species prevents any error being 

 made in identification, because in Victoria there is only one 

 rufous-like fan-tail. Apart from this, its habitat is in the 

 hills that provide ample water supply throughout the year. 

 In summer they leave their haunts and wander, if I. may be 

 allowed to use the term, almost anywhere their noses lead 

 them, such noses always taking them long travels along tiie 

 vicinity of a creek. Here follows an entry I recently made 

 when having something to eat. While at lunch in Flinders 

 Buildings, Melbourne, 1st March, 1899, one flew about from 



