Vul.XIII 



I9I3 



•1 White, Field Ornithology in South Australia-. 27 



They were just starting to nest: They were found nesting freely by 

 Dr. Morgan at the south end of Lake Torrens 14 days before we left 

 Port Augusta, so they were much later nesting in this country. 

 Stomach contents of one bird — fragments of weevil (probably Poly- 

 phrades), three plant-bugs (Gentelleridcs). 



Acanthiza uropygialis. Chestnut-rumped Tit. — This Tit was 

 numerous throughout the ranges, and in great numbers round the 

 shores of Lake Gairdner ; they were nesting freely. We took eggs 

 on the 9th of August, IQ12, at the south-east end of the Gawler 

 Ranges, incubation well advanced ; while nearly a month later we 

 took fresh eggs on the shores of Lake Gairdner, several hundreds of miles 

 to the north-west. The favourite nesting-site was in the hollow 

 boles of dead trees, and we often found them placed in a hollow log 

 lying on the ground, clutch consisting of three or four ; and the nest 

 is constructed of dry grasses (often clover\ lined with feathers. The 

 birds are most restless in their habits, always on the move, with a 

 quick, hopping movement, uttering a bright little twittering note as 

 they search over the ground or in the bushes for insects. Sometimes 

 they would break out into a plaintive little song; 



Acanthiza chrysorrhoa. Yellow-tailed Tit. — Mr. G. M. Mathews 

 has named this A. chrysorrhoa adenda, and I agree mth him that the 

 yellow on rump is of a shade quite different from that of the type of A. 

 chrysorrhoa. We found this bird in the Port Augusta district the 

 season before. On this trip we met with these dainty little birds on 

 several occasions. They were moving about in quite large parties, 

 although it must have been close to their nesting-time. They are 

 lively birds, and hopped over the ground and through the low bushes 

 with great agiUty, uttering a sharp little note, and at times a pleasing 

 little warble. 



Pyrrholaemus brunneus. Redthroat. — The Redthroat is- dis- 

 tributed throughout the ranges. We found it out on the salt-bush 

 plains as well as in the hill country. Its shy habits and mouse-like 

 movements when alarmed are very consistent wherever found, and 

 are identical with the Sericornis. 



Malurus callainus. Turquoise Wren. — This beautiful bird was of 

 the greatest interest to us, and when I procured the first specimen 

 I was much moved by memories of the past. In 1865 my late father, 

 the intrepid ornithologist and explorer, discovered this gem in bird- 

 life not more than 30 or 40 miles from this very spot, and it was from 

 one of two specimens then secured that John Gould described the new 

 species in his " Supplement to the Birds of Australia," part iv., 

 1867, in which the author remarks: — "That this gentleman may 

 again visit the home of this species and obtain the female is my 

 ardent wish .... and I have no doubt he will do so ; for I 

 have reason to believe that no one of my many correspondents in 

 Australia is more keenly alive to the interest which attaches to our 

 favourite branch of science — ornithology." However, the late 

 Samuel White did not return to the haunts of this bird ; but 47 years 

 later his son and his daughter-in-law did, and procured specimens of 

 both sexes. The first of the Turquoise Wrens met with was after 

 passing through Lincoln Gap. We had camped for the night, and 

 in the early morning we passed over a flat covered in large salt-bush, 

 around which were some fine bushes of scrubby mulga (Acacia rigens), 

 and from out of them darted a small party of Wrens, seemingly 



