332 THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA 



flocks hopping amongst the rocks or on the ground, sometimes as 

 many as four or five on one stone at a time, but at the least 

 alarm they all vanished behind stones or into crevices in the 

 rocks, but apparently avoiding the shelter of the grass. His 

 opinion is that they are not polygamous but simply gregarious 

 when not breeding. Nests were found in cane grass tussoclts. 



The Striated Grass-Wren. 



A. st7iatus. 



Same range as the Grass-Wren. 



Chestnut-red above, eonspicuouslj' striated with white: a "black check 

 stripe; throat white; breast dirty white to pale buff; the tail long, 

 generally carried erect. Total length 6.8 inch. 



Truly a grass bird, being invariably found in spinifex or 

 porcupine-grass flats, where it runs rapidly from tussock to 

 tussock when disturbed. Seldom more than two were seen 

 together by the members of the Horn Expedition, though 

 hundreds were observed. They live in country destitute of 

 water, and their food consists principally of ants and spiders, of 

 which a plentiful supply is always available. Crossing the Great 

 Deserts of North-west Australia they were frequently the only 

 birds visible. The nest is placed on the top of a tussock, dome- 

 shaped, with a large side-opening, invariably facing east, and 

 constructed of the dead strippings of the spinifex. Clutch two, 

 white, with a few light-brown spots; some freckled with finer 

 spots, in some cases forming a zone. 



The Goyder Grass-Wren. 



A. goyderi. 



Central Australia. 



Brownish, much streaked; throat and chest uniform white. Length 5.5 

 inches. A doubtful species. 



Western Grass- Wren. 



A. megalurus. 



West Australia. 



No black cheek stripe; feather striations very distinctly and 

 regularly marked; all upper surface dull-brown, with feathers striated 

 with white, especially on head and nape; tail feathers not striated; 

 striations also on the under surface, but fainter. Length 7.25, wing 2.75, 

 tail 3.75, tarsus 0.95 (A. W. Milligan). 



