THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA 
1 68 
Notes . — In pairs or small parties, frequenting the brushes and humid 
scrubs. Similar in habits to the White-browed Scrub-wren. 
Nest. — A dome-shaped structure with a side entrance, composed 
chiefly of dried ferns ; warmly lined with feathers. Usually situated 
near the ground in thick undergrowth. 
Eggs. — Two, pale brownish, with dark purplish-brown markings 
forming a zone at the larger end. Breeding-season: probably November 
to December. 
4. Little Scrub- wren Sericornis minimus Gould 
min-i-mus — L., minimus , very small. 
Distribution — Cape York Peninsula (northern Queensland). 
Notes. — Is fairly common in the scrubs, where it searches for food 
among the fallen leaves and debris or among masses of fallen vines and 
trees. Food : insects. 
Nest. — A dome-shaped structure with a side entrance, composed of 
leaves and rootlets ; lined with line tendrils and a few feathers. Placed 
a few feet from the ground in a scrubby tree. 
Eggs . — Usually three, faint reddish-brown, with a zone of fleecy 
markings of light brown on the larger end. Breeding-season: probably 
October to December. 
5. Spotted Scrub-wren Sericornis nmculatus Gould 
mac-u-la -tus — L., maculatus, spotted. 
Distribution . — Western Australia, South Australia, Kangaroo Island, 
and the interior of New South Wales. 
Notes. — In pairs, inhabiting the undergrowth, scrubby places, and the 
beds of dry watercourses. It is shy and retiring in habits, seeking its food 
on the ground. Food: insects and worms. 
Nest. — A dome-shaped structure with a side entrance, composed of 
bark, leaves, and grass ; lined with feathers. Usually placed close to the 
ground in a scrubby bush. 
Eggs . — Three, whitish, with a zone of purplish-brown and lavender 
spots at the larger end. Breeding-season : September to December or 
January. 
6. Large-billed Scrub-wren Sericornis magnirostris Gould 
mag-ni-ros-tris — L., magnus , great; L., rostrum , bill. 
Distribution — From northern Queensland to Gippsland (Victoria). 
Notes. — Usually in pairs or small parties, frequenting the coastal 
brushes and contiguous areas. It procures its food among the branches 
and leaves of the tall trees as well as on the ground or in the under- 
growth. Food : chiefly insects. 
Nest . — A large, oval-shaped structure with a side entrance, composed 
of leaves, moss, and grass; lined with feathers. Usually placed in a 
