SCH(ENICOLA PLATYURDS. 263 



the same patch of grass and watched another pair, soon seeing 

 the hen disappear amongst some thick tussocks. On my ap- 

 proaching the spot she flew off the nest, which contained four 

 eggs, much incubated. The nest was precisely similar to the 

 others, but with the entrance hole perhaps rather nearer the 

 top, though still on one side. The situation in the grass was 

 the same — in fact it was very similar in every respect to the nest 

 of Drymceca insignis. The eggs are very like those of Mol- 

 pastes heemorrhous* but smaller, having a purplish white ground, 

 sprinkled all over with numerous small specks and spots of pur- 

 ple and purplish brown, with a cap of the same at the large end, 

 underlaid with inky lilac. 



These birds closely resemble Chcetornis striatus in their 

 actions and habits, and in the breeding season rise con- 

 stantly into the air, chirruping like that species, and descend- 

 ing afterwards in the same way on to some low bush or tussock 

 of grass, sometimes even on to the telegraph wires. They 

 are fearful little skulks, however, if you attempt to pursue 

 them, and the moment you approach, disappear into the grass 

 like a shot, from whence it is almost impossible to flush them 

 again unless you all but tread on them. It is perfectly mar- 

 vellous the way they will hide themselves in a patch of grass 

 when they have once taken refuge in it; and, although you may 

 know within a yard or two of where the bird is, you may search 

 for half an hour without finding it. If you shoot at them and 

 miss, they drop to the shot into the grass as if killed, and 

 nothing will dissuade you from the belief that they are so until 

 after a long search the little beast gets up exactly where you 

 have been hunting all aloug, from almost under your feet, and 

 darts off to disappear, after another short flight of fifteen or 

 twenty yards in another patch of grass, from whence you may 

 again try in vain to dislodge it." 



If to Mr. Bourdillon we are indebted for the rediscovery of 

 this interesting species, to Captain Butler we owe most impor- 

 tant information as to its distribution and life history ; and this is 



* No doubt the egg does resemble one of the feebly marked speckly types of the eggs 

 of If. hmmorrhous ; but it is extremely unlike all the more richly coloured, boldly 

 marked types. The following is my description of the egg, taken from the MSS., 

 new edition of u Nests and Eggs" : — 



"The eggs of this species, though much smaller, are precisely of the same type as 

 those of Megahirvs palustris and Chcetomiss striatvs ; moderately broad ovals with a 

 very fine compact shell with but little gloss, though perhaps rather more of this than 

 in either of the species above referred to. The ground colour is white, with perhaps a 

 faint pinkish shade, and it is profusely speckled and spotted with brownish red. almost 

 black in some spots, more chesnut mothers. Here and there a few larger spots, or 

 small irregular blotches occur. 



Besides these markings, clouds, streaks, and tiny spots of grey or lavender grey 

 occur, chiefly about the large end, where with the markings (often more numerous there 

 than elsewhere) they form, at times, a more or less confluent but irregular and ill- 

 defined cap, 



" One egg measured 073 by 0-6."— A. O. H. 



34 



