The Emu. 91 
mangroves the birds disappear from sight as they burrow among 
the light leaves, which lie very loosely and curl up when they 
fall. 
To-day (26/12/00) I saw five adult males fighting for the pos- 
session of two females. They took no notice of myself. The 
red upon the backs was of two shades, light and dark. 
On 3/3/00 I shot a female showing two pale red feathers 
under the left wing. On 24/7/00 I secured a young male with 
red and a few brown feathers. With regard to nesting, I have 
found nests with each two eggs on 4th and 9th January. Mr. 
Douglas, who accompanies me, at times has found clutches 
of four eggs. One nest I found in spinifex, two feet from the 
ground of a rocky ridge. It was made of grass and small pieces 
of wool externally."* As I approached it the female left. One 
nest measured 5x4x4 inches, a second 3x4x3 inches. On 
7/1/01 I found a nest with a side entrance instead of the usual 
top entrance.] 
3. Malurus CORONATUS (Gould), Purple-crowned Wren. 
Maltiriis coronatus^ Gould, Birds Aust., fol., vol. suppl., pi. 20 ; 
Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., vol. iv., p. 295 (1879). 
Three skins to hand — 
a. Adult male, 22/8/00. 
b. Immature male, 22/8/00. 
c. Adult female, 22/8/00. 
\b. Irides brown ; bill brown ; corner of mouth white ; legs 
and feet leaden-grey. 
I showed these skins to a black boy who resides up the river. 
He says they are always found in the billabongs high up the 
Margaret River, a tributary of the Fitzroy, and about 150 miles 
from. here. A black boy from the coast to the north of Derby 
did not know the species. I got the specimens in dense long 
grass, and found them very shy. 
When feeding it searches amongst dead leaves upon the 
ground, upon which I found it feeding. It rapidly hops and 
occasionally flies a few paces when feeding. It also takes insects, 
like Fly-catchers, upon the wing. On 7/11/00 I noticed two 
males and one female. The female securing a large grub, 
the duller of the males immediately followed her, and, watching 
his opportunity, secured one end of it. After a tug for mastery 
during 30 seconds he robbed her and flew away. A few seconds 
later the finer-plumaged male was preening her feathers.] 
3A. Malurus assimilis (North), Purple-backed Wren. 
Malurtis assi7nilis, North, Vict. Nat., vol. xviii., No. 2, p. 29 (1901). 
Adult male, 2/1 i/oi. 
* Compare " Nests and Eggs of Australian Birds," Campbell, vol. ii., p. 179 (1900). 
