178 
Mr. E. P. Ramsay on the Birds of the 
out, they being almost upon a level with its edge. It is out¬ 
wardly composed of grass and the young dry shoots of the reeds 
which are so common in all the swamps near the Hunter River, 
lined with fine grass, roots, and finally a very fine green moss. 
It is very loosely put together, and requires to be moved very 
gently to prevent it falling to pieces. 
The eggs were three in number, 6^ lines long by 4J broad, 
sprinkled all over with minute dots, of a light reddish brown 
(brighter in tint than those of the Malurus cyaneus ), but more 
numerously at the larger end, where they are blotched with 
the same colour. One of the three had no blotches, but was 
only minutely freckled all over. The ground-colour is a delicate 
white, with a blush of pink before the egg is blown. 
The only note of the birds, besides a slight chirp when flushed 
and separated, is a slight twitter, not unlike a faint attempt to 
imitate the Malurus cyaneus; this I remarked several times 
while watching them. I noticed several separate flocks while in 
the swamp, which was at that time nearly dry. Some were hop¬ 
ping along the ground, stopping to pick up something here 
and there; others, whose appetites seemed appeased, were creep¬ 
ing along through the reeds about a foot from the ground, 
but, as the reeds thickened, I soon lost sight of them. They 
seldom take wing, except when disturbed, and not always then, 
seeming very averse to show themselves. Once or twice, while 
watching them, I observed one of them hop to the top of a tall 
reed, as though to get a glimpse of the world above. When 
coming suddenly upon a flock of Emeu Wrens, on following them 
up, you find them keep to the reeds just in front of you. They 
never take wing unless compelled to do so by being hard driven, 
when they separate and do not get together again for some time. 
2. The White-fronted Ephthianure (Ephthianura albi- 
frons, Gould, B. Austr. iii. pi. 64). 
These birds arrive here about the beginning of September and 
October. In the latter month they commence to build ; for this 
purpose they choose some open land, studded with low bushes. 
The stunted Bassarice i the prickly twigs of which are often 
used to form the framework of their nests, seem their favourite 
