THE BIRDS OE AUSTRALIA. 
Captain S. A. White has written me : “ This bird to my knowledge has 
never been known to nest in South Australia, and seeing that they pass through 
this State in the autumn going south, one cannot but hold to the belief that 
they migrate to some part of Victoria or Tasmania to nest. They make their 
appearance on the Adelaide plains in the autumn and early winter ; they are 
very silent, just moving on in pairs or threes, mostly seen in the open paddocks 
where they catch their food upon the ground ; sitting on a post for quite a 
time watching the ground, if a male has his grey back (the colour of the post) 
towards one and then turns his breast it is like a flash of fire. There seems to 
be no record of their return ; this may be due to their taking another route 
on their return journey. Anyway, there seems to be some mystery that may 
be some day cleared up by field workers. Specimens taken by me on the 
borders of Victoria and New South Wales have the coloration of the breast 
very much paler than the birds found in South Australia.” 
Mr. H. Stuart Dove has sent me many notes, as : “ This species builds 
plentifully in northern Tasmania, by no means retiring to the dense forests 
or mountains for that purpose, as seems to be the impression among mainland 
naturalists. It may do so to a great extent in the warmer climates, but 
certainly breeds with us on lowlands and near the coast. Those found in 
Launceston district would not be more than 100 feet above sea level. They 
build sometimes in rock niches, sometimes in niches in old stumps, usually 
well sheltered from weather.” As regards its winter distribution he gave in 
the Emu full details of their occurrence thus : “ April 15th. Many Flame- 
breasts now in the paddocks about the town, some of the males with most vivid 
breasts ; the colour seems, in many instances, brighter in the autumn than 
in the spring, owing, perhaps, to many of the young males donning their livery 
in the former season for the first time. May 16th, June 6th-26th, July 
17th-18th to Aug. 15th noted continuously. On the 29th July a pair appar- 
ently mated and Aug. 5th singing and Aug. 15th chasing each other. The 
conclusion arrived at was, it will thus be seen, that this beautiful Robin 
is with us in numbers all through the winter.” 
Mr. Frank Littler’s notes read : “Common about town gardens in winter, 
with his mate in close attendance. It darts about in a sprightly manner, 
looking into all sorts of nooks and crannies in search of unwary insects. I 
have often noticed that when a pair are hunting, they would not hunt for the 
same object, but that while one was hunting on the ground the other would 
remain perched on a low limb of a tree or shrub ; as soon as the one on the 
ground found a worm or grub it would fly up to the limb and the other bird 
would go down and hunt for food. At the same time, both birds do some- 
times feed together. I have seen half a dozen or more all hunting on the 
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