RUFOUS TREECREEPER. 
Plain are ideal trees for this species to nest in, affording so many hollows. 
Their favourite nesting place is in a leaning tree (which of course bends away 
from the prevailing winds which are south-west), so that little or no rain can 
enter the hole, which is generally about 8 or 9 inches at the opening and its 
height about 7 feet from the ground (although I have seen it 15 feet), and 
the nest is most often 4 or 5 feet down and consisted of soft bark placed on 
the decayed wood with a few feathers as a lining, sometimes a little opossum 
or rabbit fur. The clutch varies from one to three, but most clutches were 
two. The call of these birds, although distinctly a Climacteris call, is much 
more feeble than that of other members of the genus. They spend more 
time on the ground hunting for food than I have ever seen with other species 
of this family. The examination of stomach contents reveals a variety of 
ants, many species which keep solely on the ground.” 
The technical history of this species is comparatively brief. 
Gould described the species from Gilbert’s collecting, so that the type 
locality would be inland from Perth. A few years ago Carter described 
Climacteris rufa obscura. 
“ Differs from typical examples of C. rufa Gould in being very much 
darker in colour both above and below. The bill is longer and more curved, 
and the measurement of the wing is less, being 86 mm. In an example of 
C. rufa from Broome Hill, the wing measures 93 mm. 
“ Hah.: Warren River, South-w r est Australia.” 
In my “ Reference List ” I added a third form, including 
Climacteris rufa rufa Gould. 
West Australia (Inland). 
Climacteris rufa obscura Carter. 
West Australia (Coastal). 
Climacteris rufa orientalis Mathews. 
“ Differs from C. r. rufa in being paler both above and below. (Gawler 
Ranges) South Australia.” 
South Australia. 
In my 1913 “List” I still admitted the above, but referred the species 
to the genus Whitlocka, which was quite wrong. 
F. E. Howe, in his recent review* of the group, has concluded: “In this 
eastern race the markings on the fore-neck and chest are much darker and of 
greater extent than in the western forms, but I cannot find any variation in 
IF. r. obscura from the dominant species.” All the specimens available from 
the dark south-western forests show Carter’s race to be very well marked, so 
that apparently Howe’s series was poor. Shortridge collected specimens 
at Albany and Kalgoorlie, etc., and the former stands out as regards coloration. 
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