LOVELY WREN. 
deserted nest. . The cause of desertion was not far to seek, it was near a 
tree named by us the ‘ birdlime 5 tree. The pods of this tree fall off in bunches 
and exude a tenacious material like birdlime. . . A few pairs were noted on 
the Archer river.” 
After I had described and figured this species ( M . dulcis ) from the South 
Alligator River, Northern Territory, G. E. Hill found the nest and eggs, and 
these were described by H. L. White, who recorded G. E. Hill’s field notes : 
“ The habitat of this species, so far as my observations went, is restricted to 
the rocky sandstone country near the eastern side of Napier Broome Bay. 
September and the early part of October appears to be the general nesting 
season. One set of eggs was the only result of many careful searches during 
the latter part of October, November and December, 1909. After the nesting 
season these birds are generally seen in parties of from six to ten birds, the 
latter number being somewhat unusual. One party of ten birds contained 
five adult males, one moulting and four dull-plumaged birds (5th March, 1910), 
while another of six birds contained two adult males and four dull-plumaged 
birds.” 
G. F. Hill later found it fairly numerous at Borroloola, and H. L. White 
recorded : “I described a clutch of three eggs said to be those of the above 
species. I now wish to alter the identification, verified by Mr. G. M. Mathews, 
to that of Leggeornis amabilis rogersi. The skins and eggs referred to were 
taken by Mr. G. F. Hill in North-west Australia. Skins (again identified by 
Mr. Mathews) and eggs of the true Leggeornis amabilis dulcis have now been 
received from Mr. H. G. Barnard taken at Borroloola.” 
McLennan then explored the Northern Territory for Mr. H. L. White and 
met with this species about the King River, H. L. White recording : “ King 
River. Occasional parties seen in the sandstone ranges, amongst the spinifex 
and brush. . . Stomach, small insects and beetles.” 
Gould, as noted, described the female as a distinct species, and no new 
form was named until I distinguished as new, Malurus didcis from Arnhem 
Land, a form which Dr. Hartert had previously determined as M. pulcherrimus , 
and of which North wrote : “ With all due respects to Dr. Hartert, Malurus 
pulcherrimus is not found on the Alligator River, Northern Territory. The 
bird he refers to under this name is my M. assimilis. The true M. 
pulcherrimus of Gould is strictly confined to South- western Australia. M. 
pulcherrimus, lamberti and assimilis are all distinct species, not ‘ forms.’ ” 
North erred almost as much as Hartert, as the bird Hartert had under view 
was not assimilis any more than it was pulcherrimus. I regarded it as quite 
novel and remarked upon the lavender flanks and the coloration of the 
female. Upon preparing my “ Reference List ” I noted the resemblance to 
109 
