THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
lie had described this form under, Gould then recorded : “ Specimens killed 
at Port Philip in South Australia and others procured at Port Essington are 
precisely similar ; but they differ from C. cruralis in their smaller size and in 
their darker colouring, a character which is confined to the male sex, and which 
, believe, strictly a summer livery. At Swan River the individuals are 
still smaller, and like the G. cruralis, are never so black on the breast. I possess 
no information respecting the habits of the Port Phillip bird. The following 
notes are the result of Gilbert’s observations of the bird in Western Australia : 
‘ The Cinclommplws cantillans is a summer visitor, a remarkably shy and 
wary species, and a most difficult bird to procure, from its general^ perching 
on a part of a tree whence it can command an uninterrupted view all round, 
rarely admitting any one to approach it within gunshot. On being flushed 
from the ground it immediately takes to a tree, where, with its tail erect and 
its head stretched out to the full extent of its neck, it presents a most grotesque 
appearance. It often ascends perpendicularly to a considerable height in the 
air, and then floats horizontally without any apparent motion of the wings 
to the distance of three hundred yards. While flying it utters a most dis- 
agreeably harsh and grating note, which is exchanged for an inward, rather 
plaintive tone when perched among the branches.’ ” 
Mr. Thos. P. Austin has written me from Cobbora, New South Wales : 
“ Strictly migratory, a few pairs arriving in favourable springs, but may not 
be seen again for years at a stretch. During the spring and summer of 1914 
and 1915 it was more numerous here than I have ever known before, and yet 
I doubt if there were more than fifty birds in the locality, and they were only 
to be met with in three favourable situations, and all had departed by the end 
of February. It frequents paddocks where there is plenty of long grass, 
especially of a swampy nature, and cultivated areas. Although they spend 
most of their time upon the ground they (especially the male) are very frequently 
seen perched upon stumps, fences, and dead trees. About nesting-time the 
male will often be noticed calling from a thick limb of a dead tree, and if 
approached he will most probably crouch down rather than take flight. The 
male sings most as he rises in the air, with a trembling motion of the wings, 
but the flight of the female upon these occasions is more of an undulating 
character, and they rank amongst our best songsters, having a loud, cheerful 
song, which may be heard at any time of the day, and at a great distance, 
but it always appears to be heard at its best on a bright, still, sunny morn as 
the bird rises higher and higher into the air, pouring forth its clear rich notes 
as though its life was nothing but joy, when it will suddenly cease singing 
and dart to the ground. Although I know that some observers state that, 
when breeding, the male warns the sitting female of approaching danger, and 
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