SCARLET-BREASTED ROBIN. 
edgings. Tip of bill when a week old bright brown. Plumage at week old 
downy and greyish-black. Fed by parents every ten minutes. Hen bird 
feeds young and places food down their throats. Cock feeds young on rare 
occasions, especially when hen-bird is nervous or tired, bufc simply collects 
food and passes it on to the hen to feed young with. Birds are as a rule 
tame. Edge of nest sometimes much worn where parent alights and stands 
on it to feed young. Food consists of moths, lepidoptera and hymenopterous 
insects, with some coleoptera. Young remain in nest about twenty-one to 
twenty- three days ; when fifteen days old are still downy, but the feathers 
of back and also of wings are then becoming well developed and are of a 
mottled appearance and showing a more greyish tinge. Young keep very 
quiet in nest, which they need to, since the nest is exposed and readily 
discovered were the young to make much movement. Cock-bird, when 
ascertaining if everything is all right at the nest, calls ‘ Chewt ’ to the hen. 
He utters the note with a ‘ kissing ’ sound or inflexion softly, while the 
female utters a low plaintive note in answer.” 
Mr. Frank Lit tier writes : “ This is a very sociable little species, loving to 
come round habitations in the bush and also into gardens in the larger towns. 
I always notice it about our place (Tasmania) as soon as winter makes its 
presence felt. When disturbed it does not fly far, but contents itself with 
flitting to a coign of vantage a few yards off. The flight is fairly strong. It is 
not a great singer, but has a number of rather pretty notes. Ofttimes it 
appears to be singing to itself, as perched on, say, a spade handle, it softly 
warbles its melodious song. Food consists of insects, some of which are 
caught in the air, others picked up off the ground.” 
Mr. Tom Carter writes : 44 The Western Scarlet-breasted Robin is common 
throughout the south-west and resident. I think it is more numerous in the 
heavily-timbered areas of jarrah, karri, and red gum timbers, fringing the 
coast for say sixty to eighty miles than it is in the more open white and York 
gum country that extends more inland ; then P. goodenovii begins to take its 
place. P. campbelli was very numerous about Albany and Busselton.” 
Mr. C. F. Belcher says : “ These Robins are quiet birds, loving the ground 
and the lower boughs of trees, easy of approach if one is careful. They are 
practically non-migratory, unless it be that they make little winter expeditions 
to a distance of a mile or two out on to the plains and along the roadsides from 
their breeding-haunts. The song is heard best in August ; it is a very subdued 
yet cheerful little dactylic thrill, repeated two or three times. I think the male 
alone sings.” 
It will be noted that because this bird is so common no very good account 
has been published, although Mattingley’s note just given is excellent in its 
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