IN SEC Tl VORO U& BIRDS 



a part of the wings and back white. As, M. cyaneus, the 

 common Blue Wren of Victoria, South Australia, and 

 New South Wales, and M. gouldi are representatives of a 

 very important section of destructive-insect eaters, I will 

 give to them an extended notice. It is an extract from 

 an article by the author in the Victorian Naturalist^ 1899. 



For at least some months of the year M. cyaneus is 

 gregarious, that is to say, in small companies, preferring to 

 keep within their individual family circles, or perhaps 

 associating with another similar group. From the time the 

 young birds leave the nest till the following spring they 

 stay with the parents, and can be depended upon to be 

 found in or about the same place. As a help towards 

 keeping a family in view it is often possible to note a white 

 patch on one of the parent birds, which thus enables that 

 particular family to be watched. But if you would view the 

 wren at home with its children you must be very quiet. 

 Then only will you see the group, from six to twelve birds, 

 travelling along the ground beneath the undergrowth, feed- 

 ing and chatting as they go. Should the leading bird take 

 to flight the others will follow in single file, and faithfully 

 keep together, though perhaps the last of the colony may 

 be a little late. 



The late Mr. John Gould found a difliculty in attempting 

 to mimic by words their melodious notes. There is first 

 the grand oratorio of the male in spring, when he is leading 

 a charming competitive life, followed by the notes of 

 rollicking fun of the summer bird ; and thirdly the series 

 of thrilling squeaks when the young have ventured into a 

 gambol among the boughs, which w^ould be quite out of 

 place in birds of maturer years. During nesting ti.ne the 

 female will sometimes utter a call as if a tragedy were 

 taking place. Blue Wrens are occasionally known to sing 



