The Emu. 
57 
shot some very rufous Larks, and thought of washing a skin to 
see if the colour was permanent or only dust off the red soil 
they seem to haunt. However, I did not do this, nor yet send 
a skin away for proper identification as I had intended, until I 
heard of Mr. Milligan's description, when I sent a skin on to 
Mr. Woodward, and have just heard from him that Mr. 
Milligan examined it, and says it is identical with his species. 
Protective Colouration of Australian Birds and Their 
Nests- 
Part I. 
Bv D. Le Souef, C.M.Z.S., &c., Melbourne. 
{Read before the Aust. O.U., Adelaide Sessio?i^ 2?2d Novetnber, 1901.) 
This is possibly rather a hackneyed subject, but always an 
interesting one, and which is so frequently brought under one's 
notice when in the country that I thought a few brief observations 
upon instances which have come under my notice may be of 
interest to some ; and in writing these notes I am presuming 
that birds have the same vision as ourselves, and that what 
would be difficult for us to see would be equally so for them, 
and personally I think that is the case. 
It may be accepted as a general rule that in birds that build 
their nests in more or less exposed situations the female is 
generally protected by her sombre colour — as, for instance, the 
Birds of Paradise and many others ; and in bright-coloured birds, 
where the female does not differ much from the male — as, for 
instance, Cockatoos, Parrots.. Kingfishers, and Bee-eaters — the 
birds nest in holes, either in trees or on the ground ; and when 
the colour of the male bird harmonizes with its surroundings, 
and is practically the same as the female, he generally takes his 
place on the eggs as well as the female bird — as, for instance,Emus, 
Frogmouths or Podargus, Nightjars, Green Fruit Pigeons, and 
sea-birds ; and it is a rare thing for any bird which nests in the 
open to have a brightly coloured back, that being the only part 
exposed to view from above when a bird of prey may be passing 
over. But we must remember that there are always exceptions, 
and we cannot make a hard and fast rule. We may now briefly 
mention some of the families. Eagles, Hawks, and other birds 
of prey hardly require any protection. The male and female 
differ little in colour, but the latter is the larger. Their nests 
are generally large and conspicuous, and apparently no effort is 
made to conceal them. The same applies to Crows, Ravens, 
and Crow-Shrikes (Strepera), and I have never yet seen a bird 
of prey attack them. In Rifle Birds {Ptilorhis) the males are 
very bright and showy, but the females dull brown. Their nests 
are constructed of twigs and leaves, often with pieces of cast 
