1 86 Mellor, Birds of Port Germein, South Australia. [,sf"ian 



little gem, but it had gone. I was almost in despair when the 

 bird, a beautifully-plumaged male, shot past me again, and was 

 out of sight as quickly as before. But it soon reappeared, and I 

 was able to get fleeting glances at it from time to time, also of a 

 female. These birds appeared to be shyer than other members 

 of the Wren family. They kept to the thick salt-bushes and other 

 undergrowth, ever and anon shooting out and darting into some 

 thick-topped tea-tree, and out again the other side. The males 

 seldom stopped in the open to allow of close observations being 

 made. Both the male and female uttered pretty little trilling 

 calls, somewhat resembling the notes of the Purple-backed 

 Wren {M alums assimilis), in whose company I found them. The 

 notes had a peculiar silvery tone, and were uttered in a succession 

 of rounded trills, quick time. These notes were made while the 

 bird was perched, and not while on the wing. Later in the 

 afternoon a second male was noted ; it was in partial nuptial 

 plumage, and was accompanied by a female of the usual brown 

 colour. The Redthroat {Pyrrholcemits bninnea) was most active 

 and inquisitive at this spot, both the males and females coming 

 close up to me. In a tall mallee bush two Chestnut-tailed Tits 

 (Acanthiza uropygialis) were lining their compact little nest of fibre 

 and bits of grass. Ever and anon both birds would arrive with 

 beaks full of material, one popping into the nest while the other 

 waited outside on a convenient twig. The bird outside would enter 

 the nest when its mate emerged, and then both would fly away 

 together to gather more material. The Wood-Swallows [Artamus 

 tenehrosus) were active, keeping to certain trees in pairs, and flying 

 at any other birds which happened to come their way. These 

 actions indicated that they contemplated nesting soon. A search 

 for nests was unsuccessful. The melodious notes of the Grey 

 Shrike-Thrush {Collyriocinda harmonica) came at intervals from the 

 thickets close by. Silver-ej^es {Zosterops ccerulescens) were also 

 present, and, in another direction, the "Clink-clink-clink" of the 

 Brown Tree-creeper {Climacteris scandens) reminded one of 

 more open woodlands. The Whiteface {Aphelocephala leucopsis) 

 was plentiful in many places, and a small covey of Black- 

 capped Tree-runners {Neositta pileata) came along, flying after one 

 another, and uttering their loud call-notes. Ever and anon they 

 settled on some suitable tree, and climbed round and round it in 

 search of insect food. A Brown-headed Honey-eater {Melithreptus 

 brevirostris) * came flying past with a beakful of hair or shredded 

 bark, and disappeared in the thick foliage of a gum-tree, where 

 the small cup-shaped nest was being built. 



As it was late, and there was a long way to go, I began the 

 return journey to Port Germein by way of a winding, stony creek, 

 with large red gums {Eucalyphts rostrata) growing all along its 

 course. A pair of Ring-necked Parrots (Barnardius barnardi) 

 went flying away, with harsh cries, as I reached the creek, having 



* ? AI. h'UiCogenys. — Eds. 



