XEROPHILA LEUCOPSIS (Gould). 



A 



WHITE FACED XEROPHILA. 



LMOST the whole of South Australia is inhabited by this species, small Hocks of from six to 

 sixteen being met with in most of the plains and low hills of that colony. 



It- food 0Onsist8 of small seeds, and is obtained on tin- ground, where most of its 



time is passed. 



Of its oidification, Gould says: "The nest forwarded to me by Strange was of a rather large 

 1120 of a domed Bhape, with a hole for an entrance near the top, and was composed of dried grasses, 

 moss, spiders' webs, wool, the soft blossoms of plants, and dead leaves, matted together and warmly 

 lined with feathers. It was about seven inches in height and four inches in diameter." 



The eggs arc three in number and are white, slightly tinted with flesh colour. Their length 

 jg i i-ht and a half lines and their breadth six lines. 



The sexes are 30 much alike that dissection is necessary to distinguish them. 



The forehead, lores, and a line over the eye are white ; upper surface, wings, and tail, olive- 

 brown, all the feathers except the two in the centre tipped with greyish-white; throat and chest, 

 white; rest of under surface, pale buff: hides, straw colour: bill, legs, and feet, black. 



Total length, 4 inches; bill, g inch; wing, 2^ inches; tail, lj inch; tarsi, | inch. 



Habitat: South Australia. 



GENUS ORIGMA (Gould). 



JHTEW SOUTH WALES is the habitat of the only known species of this genus. 



OR Hi MA KUBRICATA. 



ROCK-WARBLER. 



MOST of the eieeks and gullies, both in the interior and near the coast of New South Wales, are 

 frequented by the Rock-Warbler. 



It runs over the ground and among the rocks very rapidly, uttering a shrill, squeaking note, 

 the tail all the time being elevated in the air. 



The food consists of insects obtained among the fallen timber and leaves with which the ground 

 is strewed. 



