SPHENURA LITORALIS (Milligan)- 
Lesser Rufous Bristle Bird. — Cape Mentelle, S.W. Australia. 
October, 1901. Collector, Mr. A. W. Milligan. 
“The Emu,” January, 1902, Vol. I., part II., page 17. 
Type.— Female, No. 4355 in Western Australian Museum, Perth. 
The discovery of a new species of Sphenura was made by Mr. 
Milligan on the 12th of October, 1902, in the dwarf coastal shrubs at 
Ellensbrook, in the south-western division of this State, about midway 
between Cape Naturaliste and Cape Leeuwin, whither he had gone in 
the hope of obtaining specimens of Atrichornis clamosa. 
The new bird resembles Sphenura broadbenti, and at first sight 
was thought to be that form, or a western variety of it, but after 
examination of a skin of the eastern form belonging to the Geelong 
Museum, kindly lent by Mr. W. Mulder, Mr. Milligan had not the 
slightest hesitation in differentiating it from that species. 
The chief differences are that the new species is much smaller 
than S. broadbenti , that in the former the rufous or chestnut head is 
brighter, and the under surfaces lighter than in the latter, and that the 
yellow gape and triangular loral spot present in S. broadbenti are 
absent in S. litoralis. 
1 he bird has two distinct calls, viz., an alarm note it utters when 
closely pursued and pressed, resembling the words “ pink, pink, pink,” 
and a song consisting of a series of clear, liquid, thrush-like notes. 
The bird is very shy, is very seldom to be seen, and most difficult 
tc flush. On the fourth day Mr. Milligan saw one running at top 
speed across one of those rounded sand hills (which abound on the 
coasts), with its tail depressed below the plane of the body, and its 
dwarf rounded wings used as an aid to its running, its toes just touch- 
ing the ground, and its neck stretched to the utmost, when tne bird 
reminded him very much of the action of the Lyre Bird in similar 
circumstances. 
The food of the bird, as revealed by dissection, consisted wholly 
of land snails, which are found in abundance on the coastal limestone 
hills. 
