BROWN SCRUB-WREN. 
always aw'ay when the nest is visited between 7 and 8 a.m. On the 20th 
the eyes partly open, like a dark spot surrounded by a light film ; head and 
body still naked, dark grey sprouts on wings. On 21st the eyes were well 
open, wings sprouting well, though body and head almost naked still. Make 
very loud rasping ‘ weeee ’ when handled. Oct. 23. Took out young Sericornis 
from nest, when it c cheeped ’ very loudly ; found the wings had long dark 
sprouts with a bluish appearance ; head and back have sparse light-brown 
down ; a fat ungainly squab with dark-tinted bill and long weak legs. Oct. 25. 
Young Sericornis now have greyish tail-feathers sprouting and the brown coverts 
above them also developing ; brown feathers appearing across shoulders, 
but remainder of body and head (except of course the wings) still only show 
a sparse light-brown down. Adult female makes a loud scolding and comes 
close down when I handle the young ; male is quieter and shyer. Oct. 28. 
Young Sericornis left nest this morning ; plumage dark brown on upper- 
surface, very light brown (a sort of rufous tint) on under-side. Tail very 
short, about f inch, upper and under tail-coverts developing show a nice rich 
brown ; white marks on wing quite as conspicuous as in adult. Plumage is 
in fact close to that of adult, except that no splashes were noticed on the under- 
surface, which was light grey with rufous tint. Bill dark ; young made loud 
sort of piping note when handled. This gives the time of fledging as fourteen to 
fifteen days, but as eggs were supposed to be hard set when nest found on 
Sept. 30th, date of incubation is uncertain.” 
Captain S. A. White has written me : “I have met with this bird in numbers 
in many parts of Tasmania I have visited and they are fairly plentiful upon 
Flinders Island. They spend much of their time upon the ground amongst the 
fallen leaves where they scratch for insect life which seems to be their chief 
food. When visiting the Kent Group in Nov. 1908, the species (known as 
gularis) was found fairly plentiful amongst the low bush on the steep sides of 
the islands ; their habits seemed the same as other members of the genus, but 
unfortunately I was not on the islands at the time of nidification.” 
Mr. E. Ashby has noted : “I found this bird very common at Bell’s Hill, 
North-east Tasmania. The birds were very active, feeding on the ground 
amongst the fern on the top of the ranges ; their peeping whistle could be heard 
continually if one kept quite quiet.” 
Mr. J. W. Mellor also writes : “ Have noted this bird in the South of 
Tasmania, at Mount Wellington and its surroundings ; also at Launceston, 
in the north at Mount Barrow and Mount Arthur, and in the Great 
Lake District and in various other parts of Tasmania. It is found in the deep 
gullies of the mountains and on the topmost ridges, and lives on the 
ground, especially where the decaying vegetation is thick and humid, where 
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