April, 1945 
The Queensland Naturalist 
97 
many times. 
Nesting and incubation do not deter the Rufous 
Whistler. Two males, occupying adjoining territory, will 
often indulge in vocal competition across the intervening 
space. The female is quieter, but not songless. If fortune 
favours him — the rearing of young birds is full of tragedies 
— he soon has his young on the wing and in many eases 
leaves his territory and starts to wander with his family. 
His song diminishes for a period to re-appear in the 
Autumn, whence he is caught up with many others of 
his kind in the Autumn migration. Just what happens to 
him and his family is a problem that will be solved only 
when more scientific and effective methods of bird-observ- 
ing are in vogue. The following of individual birds in the 
field is a highly unsatisfactory and hazardous affair at 
present. 
There are many excellent qualities in this Rufous 
songster and his lady with the speckled coat. The ornitho- 
logist, the field naturalist and the lover of nature will all 
find themselves much richer in experience in having made 
their acquaintance. 
