MALUEUS. 117 



^. MALURUS LEUCONOTUS, Gould. 



White- backed Superb "Warbler. 

 Gould, Ilandbk. Bds. Aust., Vol. i., sp. 195, p. 332. 



" The nest, like that of all other members of the genus is a 

 dome shaped, oblong structure of fine grass, ornamented and mixed 

 with cobweb and wool, and lined inside with the cotton from the 

 native " Cotton Bush " or the silky down from the seed pods of an 

 Asclepiad. The length of the nest is 5-5 inch x 2-3 inch, and it was 

 placed in a small tuft of coarse grass near the ground; others were 

 found among the lower branches and grass at the base of " Cotton 

 Bush " shrub. The eggs are three in number, pearly- white with 

 a zone of reddish spots on the thicker end, and a few dots of the 

 same tint sprinkled over the rest of the surface. Length 0'6 x 

 0-45 inch. They breed during the months of September, October 

 and November." {Ramsay, P.L.S., N'.S.W., Vol. vii., p. 49.) 



ffab. New South Wales, Interior, Victoria and South Australia. 

 (Samsay.) 



MALURUS MELANOCEPHALUS, Vigors and Horsfield. 

 Black-headed Superb Warbler. 

 Gould, Handbk. Bds. Aust., Vol. i., sp. 196, p. 333. 



While in the Richmond River District Dr. Ramsay found the 

 nest and eggs of this species at Lismore on the 12th of November 

 1866. The nest is like that of M. cyaneus, but smaller, and 

 decorated on the outside with new moss ; it was built about three 

 feet from the ground in the top of some high rank grass. Eggs 

 three in number, white, minutely freckled and spotted all over 

 with rich red, particularly on the larger end where they form an 

 irregular >one. Length (A) 0-62 x 045 inch ; (B) 0-6 x 0-44 

 inch; (C) 0-61 x 044 inch. 



This species breeds during September and the three following 

 months. 



