226 BIRDS OP THE DISTRICT OF GEELONG 
may see them on any of the roads leading out through 
this kind of country, hopping from stone to ground 
and back again, or perched on the fence-posts and 
flying up continually as one passes, to settle a few 
posts farther on. There is a curious little flick of the 
wings when the bird is perching, which is characteristic 
of this and also of the Scarlet and Yellow Robins. 
The hen may be distinguished from the hen Scarlet 
Robin in that she is uniform brown on the back 
and upper surface generally, w^hereas the Scarlet 
Robin has these parts grey, nor has the former more 
than the faintest trace of red on her under surface. 
The species is insectivorous ; I know no more 
beautiful little picture than half a dozen cock Robins 
following the plough, and now and again turning 
towards one the blaze of their breasts against the 
background of black upturned sods glistening from 
the share. 
The nest I have only once seen ; on the road from 
Colac to Gellibrand I noted one placed quite near 
the ground in a niche in the side of a burnt gum. 
This is a favourite site, but sometimes a ledge of rock 
is chosen. It is a rougher nest than the Scarlet 
Robin's, open, and warmly lined. The three eggs 
are rather larger, and have fewer and smaller spots, 
than those of the other Robin. 
I noted a dozen pairs of these birds, all apparently 
mated, between Barramunga and Skene's Creek, 
Christmas, 1902. 
The latest one sees them about Geelong is the 
