Vol. IX. 



igio 



] Stray Feathers-. 240 



ground. The squeaking of the young quickly brought the 

 parents on the scene. I was surprised when I heard one of the 

 old birds imitate perfectly the short, chipping notes of the 

 White-shafted Fantail {RJiipidura albiscapa). The young ceased 

 squeaking, so I imitated a young bird in distress. The poor 

 parent birds became violently agitated, flying within a foot or two 

 of my head, at the same time mimicking to perfection and in 

 repetition the notes of the following species* : — Rhipidtira 

 albiscapa, Ptilotis leiicotis, Maliirus cyanochlamys, Artamus 

 tenebrosus, Platycerciis exiviitis, PacJiycephala pectoralis, and 

 Cliinacteris scandens. I had my note-book in hand, and took 

 down the calls as I recognized them. It was singular that the 

 birds did not use their ordinary notes between the other calls. 

 No doubt the calls were given to decoy me from the nest. 

 Altogether this little experience was very pleasant, and I spent 

 about half an hour in the vicinity of the nest correctly noting 

 the different calls. — L. G. Chandler. Malvern. 



Moulting of Blue Wrens (Malurus gouldi). — It was 

 with some surprise that I read Mr. Dove's statement {Emu, vol. 

 ix., p. 1 54) that he doubts the change of plumage of the adult male 

 of this species into the drab dress during autumn and winter. 

 My acquaintance with the Blue Wren has extended over both a 

 number of years and a wide area, and I have always been 

 careful to note anything unusual either in habits or plumage, 

 not only of this species but of others. The sight of an adult 

 bird in breeding plumage in winter has always been looked 

 upon by me as something out of the common. I have no 

 recollection any winter of having ever seen more than, say, two 

 birds in breeding plumage anywhere round Launceston. Last 

 Easter I was staying on a farm some 15 miles or so out of 

 Launceston, where birds are encouraged round the house. 

 Among other species M. gouldi was present in astonishing 

 numbers, but not a sign of anything but drab-plumaged birds 

 was seen. A pair of birds that breed in a neighbour's garden 

 have been under observation for several seasons, and the fact 

 always noted that on the approach of winter the male doffed his 

 bright coat. The one never-failing distinguishing mark of the 

 sexes when both are in non-breeding plumage is that the tail of 

 the male is distinctly blue, while that of the female is similar to 

 the upper surface of the body. — FRANK. M. Littler. Launces- 

 ceston, 28/1/ 10, 



New Nesting Locality for Flame-breasted Robin. — 

 In a list published in the Victorian Naturalist, vol. viii., p. 193, 

 of birds observed during November, 1891, in the Grampians, 



* Scientific names from Matthews' " Handlist." 



