7-i WHITE— A Sketch of the Life of Samuel White. 



remained with the horses and cart. All went well with 

 Samuel while on the trip over. By sailing and pulling he 

 reached the western coastline of Spencer's Gulf. Pulling his 

 boat out of reach of the tide he formed his camp, and soon set 

 out to explore for birds in a new country. The feelings and 

 expectations of this early ornithologist can only be understood 

 by those who hare set foot in an unexplored country. There 

 is no doubt many interesting specimens were collected, but his 

 great find was a new blue wren {Malurus callainus, Gould), 

 called by the describer in the vernacular "Turquoise Superb 

 Warbler." I cannot) do better than repeat what the great orni- 

 thologist, John Gould, tells us about this bird in his folio work 

 supplement to "The Birds of Australia," Part IV., under the 

 heading, Malurus callainus, Gould (Turquoise Superb Warbler) 

 — "For the knowledge of the existence of this lovely species 

 I am indebted to S. White, Esq., of the Reedbeds, Adelaide, 

 who informs me that he was under the impression it was a new 

 bird the moment he saw the first example that came under his 

 notice. He was, therefore, induced to shoot and skin eight or 

 ten others of both sexes, all of which, with the exception of 

 two males, he had the misfortune to lose in crossing Spencer's 

 Gulf. They were procured in the "Salt Bush Scrub" about 300 

 or 400 miles north-west of Adelaide. Upon measuring these 

 Mr. White found that the extent of their wings from tip to tip 

 varied from 5^ to 6 inches, the specimen sent me being one of 

 the smaller examples. Their habits were very similar to those 

 of the other members of the genus, and were not characterized 

 by any peculiarity. The males, as is usual when adorned with 

 their nuptial dress, were very shy, and those secured by Mr. 

 White were obtained by a kind of ruse (placing his hat on the 

 ground and hiding himself in the bush until curiosity prompted 

 the birds to examine the unusual object). That this gentle- 

 man may again visit the home of the species and obtain the 

 female is my ardent wish; he should bear in mind that, the 

 locality being maiden ground, in all probability other unknown 

 species of birds will be found, the discovery of which will 

 amply reward him for the trouble of research, and I have no 

 doubt he will do so, for I have reason to believe that no one of 

 my many correspondents in Australia is more keenly alive to 

 the interests which attach to our favourite branch of science 1 — 

 ornithology." 



So Gould touched lightly upon an accident which was 

 nearly a tragedy, and the means of cutting off the life of one 



