Further Notes on the Blue Wren. 229


3, vol. V. of the Emu , at page 154 1 find the following:—“I hold,,

too, in connection with the Bine Wren, that it is not polygamous.

Certainly there are often seen several brown ones with each male

bird, but these are lonely spinsters, or possibly young birds, that

follow him about for company. In parts where males are very

common this is not noticed. The mature blue bird has the ex¬

perience that can find the food supply, scent danger, and ward off

enemies. But this and other matters in connection with this

brilliant genus are awaiting more enlightenment.” It will, there¬

fore, be seen that I am not alone in supposing that the reputed

polygamous nature of the male Blue Wren is in need of further

investigation. Of course I can speak only of M. cyaneus, but

Mr. A. G. Campbell refers to the whole of the genus Malurtis.


All the same we must not go too fast, or peradventure we

may topple over 011 to the other side.


It must not be forgotten (N.S., I., pp. 15-16) that my male,

who up to a certain point had been so devoted to his baby, after

a while handed it over to the care of its mother, completely

deserting both, and went off apparently in search of the missing

Spinster Aunt, as the second female was called. Although so

hostile to that inestimable lady whilst he was breeding with No.

i, I am of opinion that he would afterwards have gone to nest

with her had the weather and circumstances permitted. I11

districts where there are not any spare females, each male might

naturally be expected to be more or less contented with a single

mate, but where there may happen to be a superabundance of

females, especially in a hot climate, the reverse would not by any

means be particularly improbable. Possibly, as I suggested in

1902, he may take them in turn, each cast off mother, as in the

case of my birds, being left to look after her own brood by her¬

self. They are said to rear two or three broods between August

and January, but perhaps each may be by a different mother ;

and sometimes, as suggested by Mr. A. G. Campbell, the sup¬

posed extra females, or some of them, may be simply young

birds—members of the first batch.


The author of Nests and Eggs of Australian Birds (pp.

165—8) quotes various statements of others that the Blue Wrens

are polygamous, but is not, or was not, himself fully satisfied on



