FIELD-WREN. 
Nest. Globular in form, with an entrance in the side, being outwardly constructed with 
dried grasses and lin ed with feathers. Places beneath salt-bush shrub or on the 
bare ground. 
Eggs. Clutch, three or four. Uniform pale chocolate, darker on the larger end, forming 
in some specimens dull clouded caps or indistinct zones. 19-21 mm. by 15-16. 
Breeding-season. July or after rains in summer or winter. 
Gould also described this species, and his notes read : “Is a native of 
Southern and Western Australia, where it inhabits open plains and scrubby 
lands, particularly such as are interspersed with tufts of coarse grasses. It 
has never yet been discovered within the colony of New South Wales. Like 
its near ally of Tasmania it is a rather shy and recluse species, running mouse- 
like over the ground among the herbage with its tail perfectly erect, and is 
not easily forced to fly, or even to quit the bush in which it has secreted itself. 
Its song is an agreeable and pretty warble, which is poured forth while the bird 
is perched upon the topmost twig of a small bush. This species also emits 
so very powerful an odour that my dog frequently pointed at it from a very 
considerable distance.” 
Captain S. A. White has written me : “ This bird is fairly numerous even 
to-day in the type locality (around Pt. Augusta, South Australia). They 
frequent the salt and blue bush plains, moving over the ground in a mouse- 
like manner ; they are naturally shy birds, but at times will sit upon a bush 
and pour out a wonderful sweet little song ; they build their nests almost on 
the ground, but if it is only touched they will pull it to pieces. On Eyre’s 
Peninsula I met with a bird differing from the others found in South Australia, 
running amongst the low heath-like bushes on a stony ridge. Some time 
afterwards I met with it again some hundreds of miles to ther south but in 
almost the same class of country. In Central Australia I met with another 
form in many parts, almost always in the salt bush country and very shy.” 
Mr. Edwin Ashby writes : “ This bird occurs on the low bushes that grow 
on the flats adjoining the sandhills about twenty-five miles north of Adelaide 
at a place called St. Kilda, and I have also seen it in the low ti-tree flats adjoin- 
ing the mallee near Goulwa. Mr. Love sent me several skins of the Central 
Australian form from Leigh’s Creek, South Australia, with the statement 
that in suitable localities they were fairly numerous.” 
Captain S. A. White has written me : “ Were found all through the Gawler 
Ranges ; on one occasion a nest containing two naked young birds was found ; 
the nest which was composed of dry grasses lined with softer material was 
placed on the ground under a salt bush and was dome-shaped but rather 
flattened on the top, and although the nest was only glanced into to see the 
contents the old birds pulled the nest to pieces and carried all the material 
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