GRASS-WREN. 
Nest. “ Usually placed in the centre of a low, thick bush and varies from one foot to 
two feet and a hah from the ground. Bulky in structure, with little roof. Composed 
of grass, with entrance near the top, the eggs being visible from outside. No lining 
beyond fine grass. The lower part is strongly made, but the upper part is very 
loosely put together.” (Gibson.) 
Eggs. “ Clutch two to three. White, or reddish- white, over which are sprinkled dots 
and small, irregular shaped spots and a few blotches of rich red or pinkish-red and 
having similar, but fewer, underlying markings of lilac-grey, all of them being 
more thickly disposed towards the larger end, where they are confluent and assume 
the form of an irregular zone. 19-20 mm. by 16.” (North.) 
Breeding-season. August to October. ( ib .) 
Nest. “ An open cup-shaped structure, constructed of strips of bark and long portions 
of a soft, white flowering plant. Lined with short, soft pieces of flat grass and plant 
stems, also a quantity of soft, white vegetable matter. Width over all 4| inches ; 
egg cavity 21 wide by 1| deep. Placed in a dense salt bush about 20 inches from 
the ground.” (White.) 
Eggs. “ Clutch three, warm white or dull pink, beautifully marked all over with spots 
and blotches of very rich reddish-brown, which become confluent at the larger 
end, where they form an irregular zone or cap. 22-23 mm. by 17.” (ib.) 
Breeding-season. August (Lake Way). 
When tbe early explorers visited Australia, they of course used sailing 
vessels and sought sheltered harbours for rest after their long voyages without 
much consideration as to eventual settlement. Later expeditions with the 
latter object in view did not pay much attention to the early points, but searched 
for suitable situations combining all facilities for continued habitation. Conse- 
quently some of the places called at by the earliest travellers have scarcely 
ever since been visited. 
Further, when ornithology was in course of development, little attention 
was paid to exact geographical details save by those who had themselves collected 
the specimens and then only in an erratic manner. 
Thus Gould having visited Australia, and noted the divers manners of 
country, had little hesitation in naming slight distinctions in bird life as long 
as the specimens came from different localities, but in the present case he erred 
strangely in overlooking the facts of geography. He found a Grass-Wren 
living on the plains bordering the Lower Namoi in New South Wales, and, 
comparing it with the figure in the Voyage de l’Uranie, recognised it as identical 
and used the name Amytis textilis given to that figure. Later he described 
a new species from Western Australia, naming it Amytis macrourus , and 
observing “ Is evidently the representative of A. textilis of the eastern coast,” 
whereas A. textilis had been described from Western Australia. It is a quaint 
commentary on the practice of the succeeding line of British ornithologists 
that they should have neglected the correction of such an obvious error. In 
the authoritative Catalogue of the Birds in the British Museum the names were 
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