176 Whitlock, Notes on North-Western Birds. f ^T" •, 



/ List April 



My first impressions of Malurus edouaydi pointed to the fact of 

 its being the smallest of the genus I had hitherto met with. Com- 

 pared with its nearest congener, Malurus cyanotus, it seemed less 

 robust in build, had a shorter tail, and rather a feeble voice. The 

 trill-like notes are similar to those of the blue White-winged Wren, 

 but not so sustained or frequently uttered. The brown males 

 and females and immature birds I found by no means timid, and if 

 chirped to would come out of cover and allow of observation at a 

 distance of a few feet. Once I began to follow them, however, from 

 bush to bush, they took longer and longer flights, and the party broke 

 up into twos and threes, finally disappearing amongst the spinifex. 

 The favourite haunt proved to be the shore, well above high-water 

 mark, amongst the low sand-dunes, where a coarse sea-grass was 

 growing amidst the large clumps of spinifex. If any half-dead 

 bushes were about, so much the better ; when followed a party 

 would always make for the nearest one. 



It was not until my fourth day on the island that I saw the first 

 male in nuptial plumage, though I had found several parties of brown 

 birds on the previous days. This male was certainly not in close 

 company with any party, but females and immature birds were not 

 far away. I found him exceedingly wary and quite unapproachable 

 in a locality devoid of adequate cover. Even viewed at a distance 

 through field-glasses he was constantly in motion, and only for a 

 few seconds in full view, as he rapidly flew from bvxsh to bush. He 

 took longer and longer flights untfl I finally lost him. It might be 

 thought that a bird with such strikingly contrasted plumage would 

 be easily visible, despite its small size, but I found the glare of the 

 tropical sun on the dancing waters and sandy coast-line very trying 

 to the eyes. Possibly during the pairing or nesting time males 

 would be less wary and more easy of observation. I was out one 

 morning for nine hours before I secured my first male specimen in 

 nuptial plumage. I fairly tired this bird out. A freshly-killed male 

 is beautiful, despite its simple coloration, the velvety black plumage 

 being in sharp contrast with the pure white. The central tail feathers 

 are distinctly shot with blue ; flight feathers earthy-brown ; bill black ; 

 legs hazel-brown ; iris very deep brown. 



On Barrow Island this Wren can hardly be called rare, but it is 

 distinctly local. My regular beat consisted of about 6 miles of 

 coastal country to a distance inland of half a mile. The Wrens 

 frequented only certain portions of this tract, but I have no doubt 

 similar localities all around the island would be equally favoured. 

 No land-birds were breeding on the island during my visit, and no 

 birds I dissected appeared to be less than six months old. The latter 

 fact points to birds having bred immediately after the heavy rains 

 the second week in March of last year. I found, however, two empty 

 Wrens' nests. One appeared to be two seasons old. It was perched 

 on the summit of a large clump of harsh spinifex, and was much 

 weather-beaten. A second and more perfect nest was placed about 

 2 feet from the ground in the coarse shore grass of the sand-hills. It 

 was of the usual Malurus type, but prettily decorated on the outside 

 with a reddish-brown substance. The walls of the nest appeared 

 to be rather thin, and the lining not so profuse as in nests of other 

 Wrens.* 



In sailing to and from Barrow Island I landed on several other 



* For detailed description see page 179. 



