200 Whitlock, Oh the East Muvchison.. li.s^TIril 



Small-biijJ':d Tit {Acanihiza tcnuirostris). — I was glad to renew my 

 acquaintance with this Acantliiza^ which I added to the avifauna of this State 

 in 1903. I obtained the first Western Austrahan specimens at Lake Austin 

 in that year. I beheve these specimens were referred to Mr. Zietz, who 

 declared them identical with the types of A. teitnirostris from South Aus- 

 tralia. There is yet a large tract of country to be bridged over before the 

 geographical range becomes continuous. 



In Western Australia I have as yet never met with this Acanthiza away 

 from the samphires. Indeed, it seems to exclusively haunt the margins of 

 the salt lakes, where this plant and a few varieties of the Salsohnca abound. 

 I cannot recollect ever seeing it perch in a bush, or even in tea-tree scrub, 

 though the latter is abundant enough around certain of its haunts. It is an 

 inconspicuous little bird, gifted with very feeble powers of song, though its 

 call note is distinct and peculiar. To me these notes resemble the syllables 

 " Tip-tip-tip" uttered rapidly but with a distinct glassy ring about them. 

 Possibly it has a song, but I have only heard this call note between the 

 se.xes. I have watched the parents feeding their young, and have also 

 watched pairs before the breeding season had set in. They seem to spend 

 most of their time busily searching the samphires or salt-bush for insect life 

 as they flit from bush to bush, and as the observer moves towards them 

 they are rather wary, and, unlike other species of Acanthiza, will not permit 

 of a near approach. 



I was very keen on getting the nest and eggs of this species. The nest 

 has already been described by Mr. A. W. Milligan, from an example I 

 obtained containing young at Lake Austin. It was only after repeated visits 

 to Lake Violet that I located a pair, and, as I knew this Acanthiza was an 

 early breeder, I spared no trouble and pains in my efforts to find their nest. 

 All was in vain until too late for eggs, for, though I did eventually find the 

 nest of this particular pair, the young had already flown. In dealing with 

 these small species one wants a reasonable amount of calm, sunny weather. 

 In the remarkable season of 1909 such weather was conspicuous by its 

 absence. Bitterly cold and strong east winds, often varied by rains from the 

 south or south-west, accompanied by still heavier gales, prevailing well into 

 September. However, despite my non-success with this particular pair, 1 

 was not beaten. On the 26th August I went to take a photograph of the big 

 lagoon in Lake Violet. My objective point was the highest sand-hill 

 I could find. To reach this I had to cross a samphire flat and then 

 pass through a small belt of tea-tree scrub. On the other side of this 

 was a mixed growth of samphire and salt-bush, with a few dead or 

 dying bushes of various species. I was just entering this little belt of 

 vegetation when I heard the familiar "Tip-tip-tip" of A. ietiuirostris. 

 I pulled up, and, unslinging my camera, began to watch. I caught sight of 

 what I took to be the male, and I could also hear the female replying to his 

 call at no great distance. For some time I could make nothing out, and, 

 concluding I might be too near the nest, I walked over to where I could see 

 the male. He met me, and I commenced a systematic search. I was not 

 long in finding a small, neat, domed nest, low down in a salt-bush, the male 

 meanwhile perching close at hand and continually calling to the female, 

 who, however, did not venture near. The nest contained three eggs. But 

 I did not quite like the look of things, \lalurus Icucoptcrus was about, and 

 the nest was suspiciously like that of a Malurus — very well woven and 

 rather elongated. I walked away and sat down to watch, hoping the female 

 would go on. After a quarter of an hour I got tired of this. Incubation 

 had not commenced, so I determined to photograph the nest and return 

 again to settle its identity. As soon as I set up the camera the male came 

 back and watched the proceedings, but the female kept persistently away. 

 It appeared to me she was most often calling at a point behind me and 

 some five chains away. I made up my mind that if the present nest proved 

 to belong to a Malurus Icucoptcrus lier own home would be somewhere in 

 that direction. I returned to the spot next day, and, quietly walking up to 



