THE BIRDS OE AUSTRALIA. 
them hopped through the branches of the scrub within four feet of my face. 
As my only weapon was a 16° gun, a shot from it would, of course, have 
only resulted in ‘ wasting 5 a bird— a thing to be deplored by all naturalists. 
On another occasion, when returning homewards after a blank day, and, I 
must admit, carrying my gun unready, one of these birds suddenly ran at 
immense speed across an open piece of bare drift sand, and disappeared in 
some scrub. A snap shot was without effect. A careful measurement of 
the footprints found them to be from seventeen to eighteen inches apart. 
Many times I sat for hours, constantly hearing a bird’s song within a few 
yards of me, in different directions, but although it was doubtless watching 
me, I could not get a glimpse of it. The song may be described as a rather 
6 rollicking ’ one, but short, somewhat like that of the Reed Warbler and 
quickly repeated. The words ‘ stitch-stitch-a-way ’ (last syllable in a lower 
note), may perhaps faintly represent it.” 
Milligan described as a new species a bird from South-west Australia, 
calling it Sphenura litoralis, and stating it was like S. broadhenti but was much 
smaller, with a brighter rufous or chestnut head, and that the yellow gape and 
triangular loral spot of S. broadhenti was absent. I considered these differences 
of subspecific value only and allowed in my “ Reference List ” in 1912 : 
Sphenura broadhenti broadhenti McCoy. 
Victoria, South Australia. 
and 
Sphenura broadhenti litoralis Milligan. 
South-west Australia. 
Later Captain White sent me specimens from the Coorong, South 
Australia, which I named 
Sphenura broadhenti whitei. 
“ Differs from S. b. broadhenti in being distinctly lighter above and below,” 
and this form is easily recognisable. Therefore in my 1913 “ List ” I had 
Maccoyornis broadhenti broadhenti (McCoy). 
Victoria. 
Maccoyornis broadhenti ivhitei (Mathews). 
South Australia. 
Maccoyornis broadhenti litoralis (Milligan). 
South-west Australia. 
Captain S. A. White has, however, pointed out that M. b. whitei is 
restricted to the Coorong district, and that M. b. broadhenti also occurs in 
the south-eastern portion of South Australia. With this correction the 
above arrangement stands, but I had better note that the South-west 
Australian form later may be allowed full specific rank as Milligan gave it. 
164 
