^°'i9if ' ] Whitlock, In the Stirling Ranges, W.A. 309 



bank overlooking Lake Balicup. Only one male was comprised 

 in this family. Unfortunately, these eggs were heavily incubated ; 

 but the chick in one egg had died, and this was the only one out 

 of the three I managed to save. 



On 2nd November I found my third and last nest some distance 

 from the foot of the main ranges, and not far from the township 

 of Tenterden. My attention was attracted by a beautiful old 

 male. It was early in the morning, and I presently enticed a 

 second male and two females from low scrub in which they were 

 feeding. The locality looked promising, and I soon found an 

 empty, and possibly last year's, nest. Further search revealed 

 a second. This was low down, as before, and contained three 

 nearly fresh eggs. Nests of this Malurns do not differ essentially 

 from those of other members of the family, though individually 

 they differ a little in the skill or otherwise with which they are 

 woven. This last nest was the most substantial and neatly made 

 of the three, and was warmly lined with Parrot and other feathers. 



The eggs of the three clutches were much alike ; in all, the 

 ground colour pure white after blowing. The markings were 

 distinctly blotched, and distributed irregularly over the whole 

 shell. In colour they were of a dull ferruginous brown. The 

 shape of the eggs showed a tendency, in all cases, to the elongated 

 ellipse type. 



Not far from this nest was that of a " Gnou " {Lipoa ocellata). 

 The mound was of the usual type. Occasionally I saw one or 

 other parent. They frequented the nest for about a month 

 before an egg was laid. 



Another interesting species not mentioned by Mr. Milligan was 

 Hylacola pyrrhopygia (Chestnut-rumped Ground- Wren). This 

 species was local, and inhabited similar country to- Malurus 

 pulcherrimus. It is interesting to note that wherever I found 

 the present species I found M. pulcherrimus ; but, on the other 

 hand, the haunts of the latter were more varied than those of 

 the former, which seemed restricted to low-growing scrub on 

 stony hillsides. The Chestnut-rumped Ground- Wren is an early 

 breeder. Fully-fledged young (they call to one another with a 

 plaintive cry) were on the move early in October. Possibly the 

 species is double-brooded. In our State it has a wide range, for 

 I met with it in the Wongan Hills, 400 miles to the north, and 

 again some 300 miles to the east, in the Lake Dundas country. 



I found a kindred species — viz., Scricornis maculata (Spotted 

 Scrub-Wren) — present at Yetermirrup, but very local. The young 

 were on the wing at the end of September. 



Of the AcanthizcB I saw but little. A. chrysorrhoa (Yellow- 

 rumped Tit) was much the commonest, whilst A. mastersi (or A. 

 inornata) and A. apicalis were far from numerous. 



I found two species of Thickheads — viz., Pachycephala occi- 

 dentalis and P. nifiventris. The latter was breeding near Lake 

 Balicup. the males being in fully adult plumage. P. occidentalis 

 was less common. I did not find a nest, and it was not until I 



