120 
THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA 
feeding upon the ground, or hopping up the trunks of trees, stumps, or 
fence posts. When disturbed, it flies with a skimming motion of the 
wings to the nearest tree, generally settling near the base, and ascending 
the trunk spirally. It has a sharp piercing call, frequently uttered, especi¬ 
ally when alarmed. It is friendly and will visit homesteads and eat anv 
scraps of food left about. 
Nest .—Composed of fur, hair, and fine feathers. Placed in a hollow 
limb or the trunk of a tree, often in a hole in a fence post or stump, and 
situated at heights up to 30 feet or more from the ground. 
Eg9 s -—Two or three, pinkish-white, almost covered with small spots 
and specks of pinkish-red and purplish markings. Breeding-season- Ttifv 
to October. ' J y 
8. Rufous Tree-creeper Climacteris rufa Gould 
ru-fa — L., rufus, red. 
Distribution. —South-western Australia and the western parts of 
South Australia. 
Notes.-— Usually in pairs, frequenting open forest and scrub-lands. 
Similar in habits to the Brown Tree-creeper, often seeking its food in¬ 
sects of various kinds, on the ground. Its note is a single piercing call 
uttered more rapidly and loudly when disturbed. 
Nest— Similar to that of the Brown Tree-creeper and placed in the 
same situations. 
m^fu- Tw ° thr< f e -’ P !nkish -buff, well spotted, blotched, and 
speckled all over with markings of reddish-brown and dull purple Breed- 
mg-season: September to December. 1 ^ 
9. Black Tree-creeper Climacteris melanota Gould 
mel'-an-o-ta— Gk, melas (melanos ), black; Gk, noton, back. 
Distribution.—Northern Queensland (Cape York Peninsula). 
loud^T^ f PairS ’ , inhabitin S °P e . n forest country. Call-note, a 
Tree-creeper ^ ’ ref l uent L v uttered. Similar in habits to the Brown 
Nest. Built in a hollow limb of a tree. The only record to date, 
at the pinkish-white, well marked all over, and particularly 
and nurSisb and Notches of pale to rich reddish-brown 
Breeding-season : SU’er and NolSmhe'r"'’ COnflned ‘° ““ *** «* 
10. White-throated Tree-creeper Climacteris leucophwa Latham 
leuc-o-pluB-a— Gk, leucos, white; Gk, pharos, grey. 
and Su'tt A^Sia S ° Uthem QuoensI “' 1 . New South Wales, Victoria, 
brushi-CtTAA “ P? ir f' , sl|,1 " ,|n e a preference for big scrubs and 
ctl} arboreal in habits, ascending the trunks rapidly in search 
