232 Howe. In the Mallee. [,st^ April 



plains wiiere turpentine bushes grow. Many nests were found, and two 

 contained eggs of the Wren, accompanied in each case by an egg of 

 the Narrow-billed Bronze-Cuckoo. Nests were found in turpentine, 

 in grass at foot of mallee suckers, and also in clumps of porcupine 

 grass. This species was always seen in pairs. 



61. White-winged Wren (M. leucopterus). — A male was secured 

 in the salt-bush at Kow Plains. 



62. Purple-backed Wren {M . assimilis). — This form was only 

 observed in the very thick mallee, where other scrubs and creepers 

 abounded, and twice I noticed a mature male in company with three 

 or four of the more sober-coloured birds. 



63. Mallee Emu- Wren (Stipiturus mallee). — On the loth October, 

 as we were walking through a thick patch of porcupine grass, Mr. 

 Scarce drew our attention to a very feeble note, not unlike that of the 

 Malnri, only much softer. W'e at once had thoughts of this new 

 Emu-Wren, and were indeed in its haunts. Both Mr. Ross and I fired 

 shots at females, but without success. A very beautiful male was 

 noticed preening its feathers as it perched near the foot of a bunch of 

 porcupine, but, as the range was too short, I refrained from shooting, 

 as the cartridges, although lightly loaded with dust shot, were far 

 too heavy for this mite. 1 was sorry afterwards, as we never again 

 flushed it, although we kicked the scrub to pieces for yards around. 

 Later Mr. Scarce flushed a male in a bunch of porcupine, and, at the 

 price of much discomfort from innumerable pricks, tore the grass to 

 pieces, only to find that the bird had escaped. 



64. Striated Wren (Amylornis slriatiis). — While walking about 

 this same patch of porcupine another note caught our ears, and, tracing 

 it to a bunch of grass, I put niy foot down ; immediately a bird was 

 heard to utter a cry, and my companion, coming to my aid, secured it ; 

 it was a young Amylornis, a few weeks from the nest. Shortly after- 

 wai'ds Mr. Scarce flushed a bird from a beautifully-built nest, placed in 

 the side of a porcupine bush, and containing three fairly fixsh eggs. On 

 iith October, when on our way to Pinnaroo, we found the birds very 

 plentiful at No. 8 bore, and two more nests, each containing two eggs, 

 were found. This bird makes wonderful pace as it runs through and 

 around the porcupine; with the feathers puffed out it resembles a 

 small rat. They possess a rather sweet and warbling song. 



65. White-browed Wood-Swallow (Arlamus superciliosus). — 

 Plentiful in the more open country and plains. 



66. Masked Wood-Swallow {A. persona/its). — Plentiful in the more 

 open country and plains. 



67. Wood-Swallow (A. (enehrosus). — Plentiful in the more open 

 country and plains. 



68. Harmonious Thrush {Collyviocichla harmonica'). — Always 

 numerous, and the first to utter its call immediately after a gunshot. 



69. Magpik-Lark {Grallina picata). — A few seen at Mumble, with 

 young flying about. 



70. Black-backed Magpie (Gymnorhina tibicen). — Very numerous. 

 Nearly every nest noticed contained well-fledged young. 



71 . Butcher-Bird {Cf adieus destructor). — Nests containing eggs and 

 young observed. 



72. Bell-Bird {Oreoica cristata). — Notes constantly heard. 



