COACHWHIP-BIRD. 
of ‘ rep-rep,’ and when greatly alarmed — as by a young bird in distress — 
these notes are changed to ‘ roup, roup,’ issued in a louder key. Before 
commencing the continued call of ‘ roup,’ and at intervals, two or three 
exceedingly sweet notes like ‘ hok hok ’ are given. The young are very 
active, and when only half grown will jump out of the nest and hide in the 
undergrowth. They do not return to the nest again when once they have 
been disturbed from it. I once came upon a young bird, singing to itself in 
the seclusion of some thick undergrowth, while the parent was away foraging 
for food. The old bird would return and feed the young, and on the latter 
being left alone it would commence singing again. The notes were a little 
harsh and were given in an undertone. The parent bird was soon on the spot 
when I endeavoured to get a better view of its offspring, and it was remarkable 
how the young one managed to evade me. It quickly hid in the dense under- 
growth, where it was perfectly safe. All its movements were directed by 
the old bird, who took all the cover possible while doing so. I think when 
the young leave the nest, each parent exclusively feeds its own charge, for 
on most occasions I have noticed the birds with young to be about thirty yards 
or more apart, each with one young bird.” 
Mr. H. S. Dove has sent me some interesting notes of the nesting of this 
species in East Gippsland, Victoria : “ Found nest of Whip Bird in Kangaroo 
Island acacia, close to road, along which drays, timber waggons and horsemen 
passed each day ; this is unusual in a species which usually builds in thickets 
of dense scrub. The nest was four feet from the ground, round, open and 
shallow, made of twigs and lined with fine grass. On October 13th contained 
young one a couple of days old, partly covered with blackish down, the head 
bare, also egg. The female sat quietly while we looked at her from about a 
yard’s distance, whipcrack of male frequently heard not far away, which she 
does not answer while in the nest until he intimates by intonation that danger 
is at hand, when she answers and slips away from nest. Next day found 
that young had been taken in the night, after which nest was deserted. On 
October 28th another nest, almost certainly built by the same pair, was found 
in same hedge, but a considerable distance away, and better concealed ; 
round open twig nest but neater than first ; the female was sitting on two eggs. 
On November 15th one young was hatched, blind, fairly well covered with 
blackish down. Eggs appeared quite fresh when found on 28th October, thus 
giving about eighteen days’ incubation. The female sits tightly now young 
is hatched until I can almost place my hand. November 19th : The young 
now making vigorous growth, eyes beginning to open, wing-quills sprouting, 
as were the quills of single cervical tract forking at upper-breast. Long blackish 
down still covering head and upper-surface. November 22 : Wing-quills 
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