THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
for insects under the thick bush, running sometimes rapidly over fallen 
logs. They are quiet birds, except for the loud musical call of the cock 
bird, which breaks on one with startling suddenness, seeming often only 
a yard or two away, the bird on such occasions being quite hidden by 
the tall bracken, among the roots of which it is working. The series of 
notes repeated again and again are suggested by the words ‘ Guinea-a-week,’ 
repeated quickly with a drawing out of the last word, ending with an 
upward inflexion. The Victorian bird is darker both, in ground-colour and 
in markings than the birds from the Blue Mountains, New South Wales.” 
As regards nesting habits Mr. F. E. Howe’s notes cover the ground, though 
confirmatory accounts have been received from Mr. A. H. E. Mattingley, 
Mr. J. W. Mellor, and others. Mr. Howe writes: “The nests are always difficult 
to find and are placed in a variety of positions ; some on the top of sword 
grass tussocks, others in asplenium ferns; some low down in wire grass, and 
others placed on the ground, and in the last case generally backed into the 
scrub. Two were noticed without any shelter whatever. The female alone 
builds the nest, and generally takes a day or a day and a half. The egg is 
deposited in the nest about 11 a.m. and the clutch is two only, the eggs being 
laid about every second day. Incubation is performed by the female alone 
and takes about sixteen days. I think the female is fed on the nest by the 
male, and both certainly share the task of feeding the young, both in the nest 
and for about two months afterwards. The young are born blind and feather- 
less, but the eyes open in about five days, and the down is replaced by feathers 
in a week. At this stage the feathers along the abdomen are white and well 
defined, primaries half in quill, general colour above dark brown. The gape 
is creamy-white, mouth yellow. Irides black. At about six weeks old the 
gape is still white and at three months it has assumed a greyish hue. The 
breeding -season is from August to February inclusive, and two broods 
(possibly three) are reared.” 
The separation of the Victorian form was made by me when compiling 
my “ Reference List,” where I characterised it thus : 
Pycnoptilus jioccosus sandlandi. 
“ Differs from P. /. fioccosus in its much darker coloration above and below, 
the head and back being bluish-brown instead of fawn.” 
This form has been criticised and found quite constant and valid, so that 
two forms are acceptable and easily recognisable, viz. : 
Pycnoptilus fioccosus fioccosus Gould. 
New South Wales. 
Pyncoptilus fioccosus sandlandi Mathews. 
Victoria. 
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