THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
olive and slate markings. Roundish in form, and slightly pointed towards one 
end ; surface of shell smooth and slightly glossy. 17 mm. by 13-14. 
Nest. Similar to that of N. chrysoptera. 
Breeding-months. August to December. 
When Gould received the male and female of this fine species he named 
them both as distinct species so that there should he no doubt of their 
nomination, though he was not certain that they did not represent the sexes 
of the same species. 
Gould’s notes are, of course, the earliest and are here quoted: “This 
species of Sittella enjoys a range extending over several degrees of longitude. 
I killed several examples during my excursion into the interior of South 
Australia, and I transcribe from my journal the following notes on the subject: 
‘ I met with a flock of these birds on the hills near the source of the River 
Torrens, about forty miles northward of Adelaide; they were about thirty 
in number and were extremely shy, keeping on the topmost branches of the 
trees, and the whole company flying from tree to tree so quickly that I and 
my companion were kept at a full run to get shots at them.’ The following 
is from Gilbert’s notes made in Western Australia : * An extremely active 
bird, running up and down the trunks and branches of the trees with the 
utmost rapidity, always in families of from ten to twenty in number. It 
utters a weak piping note while on the wing, and occasionally while running 
up and down the trees. Its flight, which is generally performed in rather 
rapid undulating starts, is of short duration.’ Prior to my visit to Australia, 
I regarded, described, and named the two sexes of this bird as distinct species, 
an error which the opportunity I subsequently had of observing the bird in a 
state of nature and of dissecting recent specimens has enabled me to correct: 
the black-headed specimens proving to be females, and those with a black 
cap only, males.” 
Mr. Tom Carter’s notes read : “ Is a fairly common species through the 
south-west, and about Broome Hill. At the latter locality recently fledged 
young were seen on October 8th, 1912, evidently having just left the nest. On 
April 9th, 1910, there appeared to be a considerable local migration (!) of these 
birds, because in the course of a six mile drive from my house ‘ Wensleydale ’ 
to the township many small parties of them were observed in timber along¬ 
side the road, and in the ordinary way I could drive that way perhaps twenty 
times and not see a single one of these birds.” 
Milligan wrote from the Margaret River district, South-west Australia: 
“ I saw several companies of these birds on the first trip, and as they were in 
companies I assumed they had not begun to nest.” Later he added: 
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