THE WOMBAT. II 



includes the weaver birds of Africa and India ; none of the 

 Australian examples, however, are such skilled artisans as 

 their foreign relatives. Of the two species noted the spotted- 

 sided was the commoner, and found as usual in more open 

 situations ; it is to be seen near Bendigo, and its nests were 

 found in the bull-oaks near the Loddon at Bridgewater. 

 Its congener, which prefers more thickly timbered country 

 was noted in numbers in the scrub near the golden city, and 

 along the head waters of the Coliban and Campaspe. 



The larks were well represented ; Horsfield's Bush Lark 

 (Mirafra horsfieldi) was frequently heard singing high in the 

 air over the plain country around Pyramid Hill and Kerang. 

 This bird is one of Australia's most accomplished vocalists ; 

 it is migratory in habit, going north to N.S.W. and Queens- 

 land for the winter, and returning to the south about 

 September or October. I have taken its nest and eggs 

 several seasons in succession in the Koo-wee-rup swamp ; 

 the nest is placed in a small depression scraped in the ground, 

 and the bird generally takes about three days in constructing 

 the nest and three more to lay its eggs, three in number, laid 

 on successive days. I have taken the nest in crops and grass 

 paddocks in November and December. 



The ground lark (Anthus australis) is common through- 

 out the colony and needs no further mention. I cannot do 

 better than to make note of the two Cincloramphi here, 

 though they are separated far from the above-mentioned larks 

 in Mr. Sharpe's classification of the passerine birds. The 

 large black- breasted Cincloramphus was chiefly seen in the 

 plain country north of Mitiamo. I first noted the rufous- 

 tinted in the Kerang district towards the end of October, and 

 later on farther south near Inglewood and Bendigo. Its 

 vigorous and melodious song frequently attracted our at- 

 tention, poured forth as the bird soared up in the air, or 

 when perched on some dry branch of a tree. I took 

 this bird's nest and eggs many years ago at what is now 

 known as Moreland, and have since then received them from 

 Central Queensland. 



I will be content with simply enumerating the tree- 

 creepers noted — the brown, white-throated, and orange- 

 winged sittella, and then pass on to that numerous and im- 

 portant Australian family, Meliphagidcz. Most of these are 

 to be met with in the scrub country, some being permanent 

 residents and others annual spring visitants. The commonest 

 of all and the one whose voice is most frequently heard is the 

 Graceful Honey-eater (Ptilotis ornata). These are known 

 to the local boys as " Dicks " or " Tiddley-ol-tol-tols," as 

 their note bears a distinct resemblance to those syllables. 



The yellow-plumed [Ptilotis auricomis) are distinguished 

 from the Graceful by being honoured with the distinctive name 



