AO Chandler, Bird-Life of Kow Plains. [isf'juiy 



bushes," &c., while in a few cases the nest was built a few inches off 

 the ground, on a heap of sticks. Several old nests were found in 

 the area frequented by a pair of birds. The Scrub-Robin moves over 

 the ground in a succession of runs and hops, and has a habit of 

 flicking the wings and tail at times much like a Petroica. The bird, 

 when feeding reminds one of the Ground-Thrush (Oreocinda 

 lunulata^ It has the same quick action in tossing the earth aside 

 with its bill when after a grub, and jumping back, with apparent 

 nervousness, before renewing the attack. A small white grub, 

 which they are very adept at extracting from the ground, is one of 

 the chief items of diet On one occasion T saw a bird fly about 2 feet 

 into the air and capture a passing insect A curious habit which this 

 species has, when perched, is to glance at the ground below it with 

 its head first on one side and vice versa, as though v/atching an 

 insect. While perched the tail is often raised and lowered with a 

 slow motion. One nest was found containing a newly-hatched 

 chick. The chick is born naked and blind, with skin of a dark brown 

 colour ; gape cream. 



Hylacola cauta. Red-rumped Ground-Wren. — This little songster 

 looks very pretty as it hops perkily over the ground with tail erect. 

 The nest is hard to find. One nest contained three fledgelings. 



Pomatorhinus superciliosus. White-browed Babbler. — Very 



plentiful. Nests in all stages were noted. One pair built several 

 nests near our tent. The first nest, which they deserted after much 

 chatter, was built a few feet from the tent door, and was situated 

 amongst branches which had been placed in position as a breakwind. 

 I thought that the notes of this bird were slightly different from those 

 of the same species in the Melton district, Victoria. 



Calamanthus campestris. Field-Wren. — On the salt-bush plains 

 surrounding the copi hillocks, north of the railway line, a few pairs 

 of birds of this species were observed. Mr. Gregory Mathews has 

 described a bird from this locality as C. howei The birds are 

 extremely wary, and T had trouble to secure a specimen. Judging 

 by the condition of one specimen which I dissected, the nesting 

 period would have begun about the end of October. 



Cinclorhamphus cruralis. Brown Song-Lark. — A single bird ob- 

 served north of the railway line. 



Ephthianura albifrons. White-fronted Bush-Chat. — Noticed in 

 different localities. A nest ready for eggs was found in a salt-bush, 

 but a week later it had vanished, together with the birds. 



Ephthianura aurifrons. Orange-fronted Bush-Chat. — Half a dozen 

 pairs of birds of this beautiful species were noted in the salt-bush 

 country a few days before we broke camp. A nest containing eggs 

 was found on the ground in a salt-bush. It contained two eggs when 

 first seen, and a set of three eggs was taken later. The male bird 

 was flushed off the nest on both occasions. 



Acanthiza pygmea. Fairy Tit-Warbler — ^ While having dinner one 

 day at the dam at Skeleton Hut — a sheet of water about 8 miles south- 

 east of Kow Plains railway station — we were attracted by the strange 

 notes of some birds in a pine tree above our heads. I secured three 

 specimens, and concluded that the species was A. nana. A few days 

 previously my father had noticed a pair of these birds among some 

 open timber on Kow Plains. This bird — since described as a new 



