YELLOW-RUMPED TIT. 
all the large gardens, parks and orchards, also the open forest country, where 
they breed freely, more especially in the hedges, and drooping branches of any 
small-leafed shrub or trees. 
During the autumn they form into small flocks of from half a dozen to 
twenty or thirty birds when they are mostly met with feeding upon the ground. 
The nest is very large for the size of the bird, and differs from that of any other 
Australian species by having a nest on top of the nest proper. There appears 
to be great doubt as to what this second nest is really constructed for, some 
people being of the opinion that it is used by the male for roosting purposes, but 
personally I doubt this being the case. Although I have many times seen nests 
built in my garden, and in such places as I pass by daily, I have never yet flushed 
a bird from the second nest. The nests are rather roughly constructed, composed 
of dry grass, dead flowering plant stems, roots, wool, spiders’ cocoons, etc., 
the latter being mostly used in a form of decoration, warmly lined with feathers 
and fur. It is dome-shaped with a small side entrance, over which there is a 
slight projecting hood. The second nest is much more roughly constructed, 
being open cup shaped, without any lining. The eggs are usually three or four 
in number, and may be found at any time from July to the end of January.” 
Mr. E. E. Howe has sent me from Victoria : “ Prefers the open country 
and here they may often be seen feeding on the ground in small families of 
from six to a dozen birds. It is difficult to distinguish them from A. reguloides, 
but the note is different. Nests are generally found towards the end of September 
and are placed in a hanging limb or in a thick bush. The young are born blind, 
but are sparingly clothed with light grey down. Mouth, yellow : gape, creamy- 
white. When ready to fly the irides are brown, the yellow of the rump and tail 
is well defined, the general colour above is light olive-brown, bill and feet dark 
grey.” \\ 
Mr. Frank Littler has sent me from Tasmania : ‘ 4 It is no uncommon sight 
to see the birds assembled in flocks of thirty or forty in winter, running over the 
ground picking up any stray scraps of food in addition to the usual diet of insects 
and seeds. They can frequently be seen swarming over the fruit trees in search 
of codlin moth and other grub and sometimes picking off mussel scale. When 
flushed off the ground it simply rises and flies a few yards and again alights. 
When flying a short distance it moves in a jerky wavy manner. The song is 
a very pretty little run, not loud, but very sweet. It is usually uttered while 
the birds are feeding together in a flock on the ground : louder notes are uttered 
when moving on wing from place to place. In winter they commonly occur 
in the gardens in towns.” 
Mr. E. J. Christian’s notes read : “ This is the commonest of the Acanthizas 
in this district, and is a very interesting little bird. It never seems to be quiet 
467 
