OF VICTORIA. 107 



STRIATED FIELD-WREN, 



Calamanthiis fiiligiiiosiis, Tig*, and Hors. 



Kal' a-manih-us fvAig'i no' sus. 



Cal'tmus, a reed ; anthus, a small bird ; fuligo, soot ; ous, denoting 



"presence," fulness. 



Calamanthus fulioinosus, Gould, "Birds of Australia," fol., 

 vol. iii., pi. 70. 



Geographical Distribution. — Areas 4, 5. 



Key to the Species. — General appearance olive-green, much 

 streaked ; head olive-green, streaked with black, like back ; 

 breast, sides of body, flanks, and under tail coverts streaked 

 with black ; secondaries about equal. 



In Victoria there are two Field-Wrens (Calamanthi) very 

 much alike, but the second not only diflfers in having a nearly 

 uniform rufous forehead, but in having its distribution over 

 the inland parts, where it is known as the Fiekl-Wren 

 (C. campestris). 



The Striated Field-Wren prefers the marshy low growth 

 of the sea border to the rough grassy flats of the interior. 

 Between Grantville and the southern part of Lang Lang it 

 is plentiful, and nearer Melbourne —i.e., between Yarraville 

 and Altona — you may at almost any time obtain a variety of 

 skins if they are needed for scientific purposes. The bird 

 from a little bush-top sings sweetly, merrily, and con- 

 tinuously, with its brownish tail erect and restless. The 

 tail appears by its movements to be an extraordinary 

 appendage to the bird, for, besides other actions, you learn 

 its intended course of flight by the placing of the tail in the 

 opposite direction to that course which it intends to pursue. 

 Certainly one action is quickly consequent upon the other, 

 but, for example, unlike the Blue Wren in its manner of 



