THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
birds. Up to that time A. leucopsis subsp. (?) was met with, and after passing 
Charlotte Waters the both species occurred. A. nigricincta was found nesting 
in the low bushes. Their habits do not differ from [those of] other members 
of the genus. Their note is a much weaker one, and can be identified from 
the other species at once. They spend much of their time on the ground, 
making a twittering call when hopping about in a sprightly manner in companies 
of eight or ten, sometimes more.” Later, about the Musgrave and Everard 
Range trip, Captain White wrote: “ Numbers of these birds were met with 
on the stony tablelands, often in company with A. pectoralis, and like that 
bird were not seen after entering the granite country, although A. c. whitei 
was present everywhere.” 
Neil McGilp has -written since: “ This species was noted in flocks of 
from two to six in number. The call is much sweeter and very different 
from the ordinary Whiteface, and this bird spends more of its time on the 
ground. Though we were camped on a bore stream I did not note this species 
coming into water, although often seen within a quarter of a mile of it. All 
other birds observed in the district were noted at the water. This Wliiteface 
started to nest, in common with Orange-fronted Chat, White-winged Wren, 
and Chestnut-crowned Warbler, three -weeks before the drought broke. 
The nest is a bulky, retort-shaped structure, the outside being of twigs or 
branchlets of the ‘ Roily poley ’ (Buck Bush), and inside this a layer of dried 
flower stems and flower pods, with a final snug lining of soft feathers. The 
noticeable thing about the nest is the long, narrow entrance, one I measured 
being 9 in. long, and only about 11 inches in diameter; this is only scantily 
lined with feathers for about half the distance from the egg chamber. The 
nesting places noted were in a Buck Bush (usually a half green one), which 
showed up the nest conspicuously, it usually being of a very dark colour; 
the nest was also found in a prickly acacia, called ‘ Dead finish ’; the reason 
for the name can be readily understood if one accidentally comes in contact 
with it. I noted that both birds took part in building the nest. They left 
the nest together, and only one, the female, I presume, in returning carried 
material, the other bird accompanied her to the bush, whereon he sat and 
whistled until the former had placed the material in the nest. Then the mate 
flew off alone, and returned with material which the female, who had remained, 
took and placed in the nest. After tills, both birds flew off to again repeat 
this system ; this was done without variation for over an hour, though, of 
course, I was not able to identify the female. The clutch appeared to be of 
two eggs only, for only one clutch of three was noted, and several nests 
containing two very young birds were observed, but as I left the district a 
few days after the rain, I was not able to note if the young from the nest had 
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