Vol. X 

 igii 



1 Jackson, The Haunt of the Rufous Scrub-Bird. 3^7 



The Haunt of the Rufous Scrub-Bird (Atrichornis 

 rufescenst Ramsay). 



By Sidney Wm. Jackson, R.A.O.U., Chatswood, N.S.W. 



I LEFT Sydney on the 19th September, 1910, for the elevated 

 Dorrigo scrubs at the head of the Belhnger River, New South 

 Wales, where I arrived on the 24th of the same month, and 

 pitched my camp in the forest, near the Little Murray River, on 

 the same spot where my brother and I had camped during 

 October of 1898, when we found the type nest and eggs of the 

 Rufous Scrub-Bird {Atrichornis rufescens). My mission this time 

 was on behalf of Mr. Henry L. White, of Belltrees, Scone, New 

 South Wales, and was undertaken for the purpose of procuring 

 the female of this interesting species, hitherto undescribed, and 

 securing another nest and clutch of eggs, as the types of these 

 still remained the only specimens extant. I walked through and 

 carefully examined the scrubs day after day without getting the 

 slightest indication as to the existence of the Atrichornis therein. 

 It was not until the 7th October that I met with any success, and 

 heard an Atrichornis calling out. On this date I had just left 

 a tree wherein I found a new nest of the Rifle-Bird {Ptilorhis 

 paradisea) situated in a dense clump of vines at the unusual height 

 of 74 feet from the ground, and was walking slowly through the 

 scrub in a northerly direction, and when I arrived at a sloping 

 part I heard a note which immediately brought me to a halt, for 

 I felt convinced that it emanated from an Atrichornis ; only one 

 single note was rendered. I went quietly in the direction of the 

 sound and towards an immense mass (No. i mass in plan) of 

 fallen trees and other scrub debris, and hid behind a rosewood 

 {Dysoxylon fraseranum) log. Very soon the shrill note issued from 

 the confused mass of debris and only about 10 feet away. The 

 bird was moving about, mouse-like, amongst this heap of rubbish 

 in the heart of the scrub (see photo.) It went through the same 

 antics as I had frequently noticed in 1898 and 1899, walking 

 stealthily under the heaps of debris and along under the sides of 

 large logs as it called out, and moving cautiously from place to 

 place. I have always noticed that this noisy little bird inhabits 

 the most impenetrable parts of the scrub, and where the under- 

 growth is thick and the ground is strewn in many places with 

 great masses of debris, consisting of an accumulated entanglement 

 of trees, branches, vines, and other rubbish (see photos.) 



After I had waited for some time the Atrichornis suddenly 

 showed itself out of the debris for a second or two, and stood on 

 a dead stick about 20 feet away, with its tail erect and wings 

 rather drooped. Then in a flash it disappeared again in the 

 rubbish, and continued at intervals to call out as it travelled about 

 completely hidden from view under the heap. From what I saw 

 of the bird, it was typical of the male birds that I collected pre- 

 viously. While still under the debris, it accurately imitated the 



