lyo Fletcher, Field Notes on the Emu-Wren. [ist^'jan. 



developing on other parts of the body as well as" the wings, and 

 the bluish and rufous tinges were showing on throat and chest 

 respectively. Two days afterwards I again visited the nest ; 

 it was empty. A little later 1 saw the young birds being fed by 

 their parents. 



On 29th September the nest (partly built) of another pair of 

 Emu-Wrens was found in a sword-grass tussock on the edge of 

 a swampy creek. By 19th October it contained one egg ; but 

 the owners subsequently deserted the nest, owing, perhaps, to 

 the presence of some fencers who were working near. On 17th 

 October I cycled to the Brid River flats to look at an Emu- Wren's 

 nest, which had been found by one of my scouts. The nest was 

 placed in the favourite grass against a log lying in a swampy creek 

 which flowed into the river. The female emerged as I walked 

 along the log, and secreted herself in the next tussock. I 

 followed her, and she flitted to the lowest twig of an aster bush. 

 Thus I was able to fully identify her. Two weeks previously I 

 had discovered what was evidently the first nest of this pair of 

 birds. The swamp in which it was situated was the scene of a 

 fire, and the nest was burnt. Subsequently nests were found 

 on 19th and 30th October. The former contained three fresh 

 eggs, and was built in round reeds in the bed of a creek. One 

 nest, discovered on 30th October, contained two eggs ; it was 

 built at the base of thick round reeds. On 5th October an Emu- 

 Wren (female) was noted collecting material from the bank. On 

 24th October my scout found the nest, which was nearly finished, 

 by observing the female carrying material. The nest contained 

 three eggs by 30th October. It is worth mentioning that this 

 swamp was burnt out by the farmer who owned it. 



The nesting season of the Emu-Wren is more extended than is 

 generally supposed, nests with full clutches of fresh eggs having 

 been found on 6th, 7th, and 20th November. On the latter date 

 a nest containing two eggs and a nest partly built were also 

 noted. Pairs of birds have been seen in October with their young 

 flying around them. The markings of the eggs vary somewhat. 

 There is generally an odd one in the set. Following out some 

 directions which I had given to her, my scout, on 29th October, 

 succeeded in finding the home of another pair of birds. It con- 

 tained two young ones, just hatched. They were naked ; eyes 

 closed. Four days afterwards greyish-black down was 

 observed on wings, head, and part of back. The feathers were 

 just showing on the wings. When next I visited the spot I found 

 the young birds lying dead in the nest, with their backs torn. 



Lady Collector. — Permission has been granted by the Common- 

 wealth Government to Miss Audrey Chirnside, of Melbourne, to 

 export specimens of birds, &c., collected by her in the several 

 States for the Natural History section of the British Museum, 

 London. 



