KUNGL. SV. VET. AKADEMIENS HANDLINGAR. BAND 52. N:o |17. 95 
Hceological. — In the tall withered grass around the »billabongs» at Meda 
this species was not infrequently seen. In Mowla Downs it was not found, nor at 
Sunday Island. It seems to prefer the neigbourhood of the water-pools, as I have 
not met with it out on the dry plains. Its note sounds a little like that of a cricket, 
though it is very much fainter. The bird is active mainly towards the evening. 
Malurus melanocephalus cruentatus GouLp. 
Math. handl. n:r 608. 9 ad., $ ad. Derby, Kimb. !7/10, 18/10 1910, tail-feathers not full-grown; & ad. 
Meda, ibid. "/5 1911, ibid.; 2(2) Nooncanbah, Fitzroy r. !9/; 1911, ibid.; 2 SS, 2 ad. Beagle bay, Dampier 1. 
12/7, the first one typical change of dress, the second tail in moult., the third moult. 
Mowulting. — Typical moulting in July, when the birds obtain their new plumages. 
In Oct. a fully-moulted male was shot, and in Mowla Downs I saw fully-moulted 
males in Nov. As to the new plumage, this comes in the form of new pins without 
any partial colouring at all of any feather in contradistinction to the change of dress 
in Ephthianura and Lalage tricolor (ef. these birds). Nor does there seem to be any 
partially coloured feathers, but the plumage is obtained by only one change, which 
appear to take place quickly in the month of July or later. The feather remains 
long in the sheath. Plate 1, fig. 5 shows a moulting bird, shot !”/7, and wearing 
the new plumage on head, neck, back and breast, the old one on lower back, belly, 
wings and tail. : 
Curiously enough, it was this method of obtaining the male plumage from the 
juvenal plumage, that caused the fixing of two species, M. dorsalis (LEWIN) and M. 
boweri (RAMSAY), the latter being the juvenal of the former species. 
This bird consequently moults in the middle of the winter (cf. page 18). 
Ecological. — The little red-backed wren was not uncommon either at Mowla 
Downs and Meda or in Beagle Bay, but was not present at Sunday Island. In the 
big spinifex knolls at the former place I saw it most often, and on the l4th of 
Dec. 1910 I found its nest here with three yellow-white, red-spotted eggs in it. "The 
nest was hanging between some stalks, had the usual dome-shaped form with a side- 
entrance and was carefully hidden in the upper and thickest part of the big knoll. 
The bird (the male) was very shy and flew rapidly away between the knolls. It was 
just as if a glowing coal had got wings and was sparkling in the sun. In Meda and 
Beagle bay the bird often lived among bushes and thickets. 
Fam. Artamidee. 
Artamus leucorhynchus harterti MATE. 
Math. handl. n:r 624. 9 ad., SJ ad. Nooncanbah, Fitzroy r. ?/1 1911, moult. (secondaries), worn dress; 
3. (nestling), ibid. 2/1: 1911; 4 29 ad., :s ad: Meda, Kimb.:'?/5, "8/5 1911. 
Juvenal — (from Mowla Downs). Back, head and under surface strongly 
mottled in pale brown. The spots triangular forming the point of the feather. Bill 
greyish brown, with a dark point. Wing-coverts tipped with pale brown. 
