BIRDS OF TASMANIA. 29 



Eggs. Clutch three; "in shape the eggs are roundish oval; 

 texture of shell fine; surface slightly glossy; colour warm or 

 pinkish- white, lightly spotted and splashed with reddish-brown, 

 the markings being thickest about the upper quarter. Dimen- 

 sions of a clutch in inches: (1) .7 x .52, (2) .68 x .53, (3) .68 x 

 .52 " (A. J. Campbell). 



Breeding Season. Similar to M. gouldi. 



Geographical Distribution. King Island. 



Observations. " This Wren is one of the commonest birds on 

 the island, being found not only in every patch of scrub and 

 timber, but also inhabiting the tall grass and trefoil in the 

 pasture " (A. G. Campbell). 



FAMILY-TURDID/E (2 species). 

 Sub-Family Sylviinae. 

 *KEED-WARBLEB 



(Acrocephalus australis, Gould). 



Male. Upper surface brown tinged with olive; rump and upper 

 tail coverts lighter, inclined to fawn ; primaries and secondaries 

 brown, edged externally with pale olive-brown ; throat whitish ; 

 rest of under surface tinged with buff; bill dark brown; legs and 

 feet olive-brown. Dimensions in mm. : Length, 158; bill, 14; 

 wing, 77; tail, 70; tarsus, 23. 



Female. Similar to male. 



Nest. Usually securely fastened to four or five reeds either 

 permanently standing in water or else on the sloping side of a 

 river, where, when the tide is up, the reeds stand in a couple of 

 feet at least of water. It is cup-shaped and deep, and is com- 

 posed of long and soft pliable stems of aquatic plants and strips 

 of the "leaves" of the reeds, strongly woven together. Occa- 

 sionally fine roots, cotton threads, and the like are employed. 

 Lining, when present, the flowering tops of the reeds. Instances 

 have come under my notice where the nest has been built some 

 distance away from water. 



Eggs. Clutch three to four; stout oval in shape; texture fine; 

 surface glossy; colour greyish or greenish white, more or less 

 blotched with roundish markings of umber and grey. Dimensions 

 in mm. of a clutch. (1) 19.5 x 13.5, (2) 20 x 15, (3) 20.5 x 14, 

 (4) 20 x 14. 



Breeding Season. End of September to January. 



Geographical Distribution. Tasmania, New South Wales, Vic- 

 toria, South Australia; also Lombok (Wallace). 



Observations. This sweet singer usually arrives in Northern 

 Tasmania about the end of the second week or the beginning of the 

 third week in September, and departs at the latter end of March 



