RUFOUS BRISTLE-BIRD 291 
bird greatly resembles the English Blackbird (female). 
It lives, however, almost entirely on the ground, over 
which it runs with great swiftness, its tail raised above 
the horizontal and slightly outspread. As might be 
expected, the leg-muscles show great development, 
while the wings are proportionately feeble. It is 
one of the hardest birds to get a sight of. I did 
happen, once, at Point Addis, to see one fly about 
fifty yards, from the top of an ancient landslip to 
some ti-tree growing out of the fallen earth below, 
but that was exceptional, and as a rule one is lucky 
to catch a bare glimpse as it halts for a moment on 
top of a log or of some low bush. 
The note has so often been described as resembling 
the noise of a creaky cart-wheel that I hesitate to 
say the comparison might be bettered. The call 
consists of three or four pairs of notes, uttered 
with a rising inflection and in quick succession, and 
concluding with a note which suggests the " crack " 
of the Coachwhip-bird ; double, however, where the 
Coachwhip's is single, the second part not being 
accented. Immediately, the bird is answered by its 
mate, who utters what sounds like an echo of the 
last three notes of the first bird. There is also a 
single note, less frequently heard. Bristle-birds call 
all through the months from October to March 
inclusive. In the breeding-season the series of notes 
is produced about every five minutes. 
The nest is a rough-looking domed structure 
with a large entrance at the side. It is built externally 
