THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
following account of the previously named species: “The situations most 
favourable to the habits of this bird are open sterile spots, here and there 
studded with clumps of brushes or dense herbage, the beds and sides of creeks, and 
the crowns of stony hills. I have generally observed it in small companies, 
probably the brood of a single pair. Its agreeable song is poured forth while 
the bird is perched upon some conspicuous part of a bush, or some little spray 
among the branches of the large fallen trees, where it loves to dwell, as on 
the approach of an intruder it can readily and effectually secrete itself among 
the high grass and herbage which have grown up amidst the branches. The 
facility with which it creeps among or threads these little thickets is surprising. 
It rarely flies, but depends for progression more upon the rapidity with which 
it can pass over the ground, than upon the feeble powers of its small rounded 
wing. I found it plentiful on the low hills to the north of the Liverpool Plains, 
as well as in most parts of South Australia, and believe it to be a stationary 
bird, for it appeared to be equally numerous in summer and winter. Its food 
consists of insects of various kinds.” 
His second species he named Hylacola cauta and gave a fairly good 
description, but it was not at first recognised as distinct by other workers. 
Gould wrote concerning this species : “ The only locality in which I have 
seen this species is the great scrub clothing the banks of the River Murray 
in South Australia, where it was not uncommon, but so excessively shy that 
I obtained but a single specimen during my stay in the district. Its timidity 
being so great, and its natural habitat the more dense parts of the scrub, it is a 
species which must for a long time be exceedingly scarce in our collections. 
With the exception of its being even more shy, its whole habits and economy 
appeared to be very similar to those of H. pyrrhopygia. It carries its tail 
perfectly erect, and hops over the ground and threads the bushes with the 
greatest ease, generally keeping among the more dense parts of the low bushes, 
and only exposing itself on the outermost twigs when desirous of pouring forth 
its song, which is sweet and harmonious. In size the H. cauta is rather less 
than the H. pyrrhopygia, has the markings of the under-surface much bolder, 
and the chestnut-coloured mark on the rump of a much deeper tint.” 
Mr. C. F. Belcher, who discovered the bird called after him, writes from 
Anglesea, Victoria : “I heard the note of a bird which was new to me, a short, 
rasping chirp, and caught sight of a small brown bird with conspicuous chestnut 
rump, as it flew from one grass tree to another, into which it ran among the 
leaves at the base. We put it up several times with considerable difficulty, 
for it would not fly until one got right to the bush where it was, and then it 
generally made a hurried exit on the opposite side. It was rather like a 
Calamanthus or even a Sericornis , but the bright reddish rump patch is not 
230 
