96 
POPULAR HISTORY OF BIRDS. 
out its animated song unceasingly/^ cheering his partner du- 
ring the cares of incubation^ and assisting her in procuring 
food for their young brood. 
In winter, when a plain bird, this Malimis becomes tame, 
and frequents the gardens and outgrounds of the settlers, 
and, robin-like, seems to court his attentions ; but in spring, 
the male, when in court dress, becomes apparently shy of 
his gorgeous clothing, as if afraid that the fine plumage 
should lure the gun of the colonist. Its wings are short 
and rounded, so that they are not adapted for continued 
flight : it passes over the ground with great facility, by a 
succession of bounding hops ; at such a time the tail is car- 
ried perpendicularly or thrown forward over the back. The 
nest is a domed one, with a small hole at the side, and is 
generally formed of grass and lined with feathers and hair. 
The female sometimes becomes the foster-mother of the 
bronze cuckoo, which imitates, in this respect, the aban- 
doned habits of its more historically famed European kins- 
woman. The chief food of this Malurus consists of in- 
sects collected on the ground : its notes resemble those of 
our wren. 
There are several other beautiful species of this genus 
found in different parts of Australia. Among these may be 
