214 INSECTIVOROUS BIRDS 



Nest. — In general aspect much like that of the Pipit, and 

 placed in a slight depression in a paddock. 



Eggs — Three eggs to a sitting ; ground colour light 

 brown, thickly sprinkled with fine spots of a darker brown. 

 Length, 0*75 inch ; breadth, 0-5 inch. 



STRIPED GROUNDTIT 



(Little Field-Wren), 



Chtlionicola sagittata, Lath. 



TJio-nik'o-ld saj-e-ta'la. 

 Chthon, earth ; colo, I inhabit ; sagitta, an arrow. 



Chthoxicola minima, Gould, "Birds of Australia," fol., vol. ill., 



pi. 72. 



Geographical Distribution. — Areas 3, 4, 6. 



Key to the Species. — Plumage olive-brown ; throat and under 

 surface very pale yellowish, with broad black arrow-like streaks, 

 broader on breast and sides ; under tail coverts uniform yellow ; 

 tail quite even, tarsus scutellated ; first primary long, half 

 length of whole wing. 



My experience of the one species of this singular genus, also 

 peculiar to Australia, has been just west of the Dandenong 

 Ranges. Consequently, I found it to be a ground-living 

 bird in fairly well-timbered land. It is classed with the 

 Warblers. While at one time its voice is made up of two 

 or three pleasant and gentle high-pitched notes, at others it 

 is quite contradictory, being a single harsh and grating 

 note, or a series of such notes when alarmed. Birds to the 

 number of five or six associate, and act in many ways as the 

 common tits, but not altogether different to the pipit. 

 Like the latter it builds a nest upon the ground ; but it is 



