THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 135 



NOTES ON THE BLUE WRENS. 



By Robert Hall. 



{Read hefore the Field Naturalists' Cluh of Victoria, Mth August, 1899.) 



In the following notes I propose to give some account of the 

 life-history, &c., of the Blue Wren (Superb Warbler), Malurus 

 cyaneics, Ellis, and of Gould's Blue Wren, M. gouldii, Sharpe 

 {longicaudus, Gould). 



The genus Malurus is peculiar to the Australian continent, and 

 no less than sixteen species are distributed through its various 

 regions. These can be roughly subdivided into two groups, the 

 red-backed and the black-backed. Some of the latter differ 

 in appearance, like the Humming Birds, according to the light in 

 which they are viewed. This is specially noticeable in the two 

 species under consideration and another which occurs in 

 Queensland. Malurus youldii occurs in Victoria, South 

 Australia, and Tasmania, the latter locality being probably its 

 stronghold, as it is the only Blue Wren found there, while 

 M. cyaneus is the common " Blue Wren " of Victoria, South 

 Australia, and New South Wales. It seems to stay its north- 

 ward course just south of Brisbane, and is then represented in 

 Queensland by M. cyanochlamys, a closely allied species. 



The habits of the two species are so similar to one another 

 that I am unable to name any characteristic by which they may 

 be distinguished in the field, and as the difference in the colours 

 is so slight, and only distinguishable when handled and examined 

 in the same light, it is difficult to say whether the birds are 

 found together in certain localities. However, I know that 

 M. gouldii is strong in the Heytesbury Forest district, while 

 M. cyaneus is most numerous about the Werribee. 



For at least some months of the year M. cyaneus is gregarious — 

 that is, in small companies — preferring to keep within their 

 individual family circles, or perhaps associating with another 

 similar group. From the time the young birds leave the nest 

 till the following spring they stay with the parents, and can be 

 depended upon to be found in or about the same place. As a 

 help towards keeping a family in view it is often possible to 

 note a white patch on one of the parent birds, which thus 

 enables that particular family to be watched, but if you would 

 view the wren at home with its children you must be very quiet, 

 for then only will you see the group of from six to twelve birds 

 travelling along the ground beneath the undergrowth, feeding and 

 chatting as they go. Should the leading bird take to flight, the 

 others will follow in single file, and faithfully keep together, 

 though perhaps the last of the colony may be a little late. 



The late Mr. John Gould found a difficulty in attempting to 

 mimic by words their melodious notes. There is first the grand 



