THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
perhaps of twenty yards, uttering the scolding notes of distrust and doing every- 
thing possible to make one follow him. The female, in the meantime, slips 
unnoticed to her nest by a series of short, low flights. However, should one 
follow the hen bird, the male is soon on one’s tracks, and if care he not 
exercised, will usually succeed in defeating one’s object, especially should 
the undergrowth be dense. With great difficulty I followed a female bird 
one day for fully twenty-five minutes when she ran behind a 4 turpentine 
bush ’ and the male bird appeared on the other side about three seconds 
later. I thought at the time he was forty or fifty yards away at my back, 
and the female had vanished. Curiously enough, following this clever 
performance, the male after mounting to a lower limb of a pine tree and 
calling 44 Chip-pip-ee ” several times, flew straight to where the hen had 
concealed herself. The female utters many of the male bird’s notes, but in 
a subdued tone. I heard her call as he flew, and was soon on the spot and 
after a few minutes’ careful watch I traced her to the building nest. Both 
sexes assist in constructing the nest ; a shallow hole is first made in the ground, 
possibly by the bird turning round ; short, thick sticks are next placed in 
position around this hole, and finally bark and then a lining of rootlets or fine 
twigs complete the nest. Many nests are built against the fallen branch of a 
tree or bush, and in this case the outer edge of sticks is built on three sides only. 
Although as above mentioned, this species appears to exhibit little fear of man, 
the birds resent anyone watching them building the nest. Two nests which I 
found building were deserted, presumably on account of my remaining too long 
in the vicinity. By systematic search I was fortunate enough to find the new 
nests of both pairs of birds. I visited one nest which was nearly completed when 
I first saw it, five days later. I found it deserted and spent some time searching 
for the second nest but did not find it, but next day discovered it with one fresh 
egg. The female will allow one to approach to within a few feet before she starts 
from the nest, and it is a certain sign that a nest is not far away should a female 
be noticed regarding one intently without moving for several minutes. Unlike 
her mate she does not practise to any extent the art of decoying. The birds 
make little demonstration while an intruder is at the nest, and the female will 
approach to within a few feet and look inquiringly into one’s face. When first 
disturbed she may utter a few scolding notes, but after that remains silent, and 
should the stranger retire a few paces she goes to the nest fearlessly. Usually 
several old nests were found in the area frequented by a single pair of birds, 
proving that the Robin is very local in its habits. The Scrub Robin moves over 
the ground in a succession of runs and hops, and has a curious habit of flicking 
the wings and tail at times, much like a Pelroica. The bird when feeding reminds 
one of the Ground-Thrush with the same quick action in tossing the earth aside 
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