752 



see a bird in full breeding plumage, but on the way back it 

 was common to see such. They showed a preference for open 

 scrub country. Had every appearance of migration, probably 

 due to food supply. 



AuREPTHiANURA AURiFRONS, Gould (Orange-frontod Chat). 



Not so plentiful as the last species, and seems to prefer 

 the open saltbush plains to bush land. 



AsHBYiA LOVENSis, Ashby (Desert Bush-Chat), 



These birds are so like the Pipit in habits that they were 

 taken for such until handled. They ran along in front of me, 

 bobbing their tails up and down, giving forth a sharp note 

 very like the warning note of the Pipit, but not quite so loud. 



Family SYLVIIDAE. 



ACANTHIZA PUSILLA CONSOBRINA, MatheWS 



(Pale Red-rumped Tit). 

 Often met with, and seems to have a great range. It 

 seems to show a preference for open scrub country, and pos- 

 sesses a lovely little song, not loud but very sweet. 



AcANTHiZA MARiANAE, (5) g. A. White (Everard Range Tit). 



After entering the granite country west of the Indulkana 

 Range this new Acanthiza was met with. It was fairly plenti- 

 ful in the thick mulga scrubs, which extend between the 

 Everard and Musgrave Ranges. In some cases this was the 

 only bird to be found in these dense, waterless solitudes. The 

 dry, lifeless scrubs seem to affect these little birds, for not 

 once did I hear them burst out into song ; a feeble little chirrup 

 seems to be their usual note, even at nesting time. It seems 

 to spend most of its time hopping silently about amongst the 

 lower branches of the mulga, which its colouration so resembles, 

 peering behind every piece of bark and into every nook and 

 corner in search of insects, moths, and spiders ; the latter must 

 be drink as well as food. Although the bird resembles 

 A. uropygialis condora somewhat in size and colouration of 

 under-surface, the bill of this new bird is thicker and is of 

 quite a different shape, and the blue-grey of the upper-surface 

 is unlike any other member of the genus in Australia. The 

 upper-surface harmonizes so well with the bark of the mulga 

 trees that it would be very difficult from overhead to pick this 

 little bird out when sitting on the blue-grey bark of the mulga. 



(5) White, S. A., South Australian Ornithologist, vol. ii.. 

 No. 2, 1915. 



