184 
THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA 
Notes. —In pairs or family parties, inhabiting dwarf scrub-lands and 
spinifex. The male is extremely shy and keeps to the cover of bushes or 
spinifex. Similar in habits to the other species of Wrens. Food: insects 
and their larvae. 
Nest. —A dome-shaped structure with a side entrance near the top, 
composed of very fine dried grasses matted together with spiders’ webs, 
cocoons, and wool; lined with fine grasses, cocoons, and wool. Usually 
placed in a low bush or in a tuft of spinifex. 
Eggs. —Three or four, white, marked all over, but particularly at the 
larger end, with small dots and splashes of pale reddish-brown, where 
sometimes a zone is formed. Breeding-season: June to September. 
6. Blue-and-white Wren Malums cyanotus Gould 
cy-a-not'-u's —Gk, cyarias, blue; Gk, noton, back. 
Distribution .—The interior of southern Queensland, New South 
Wales, and Victoria, to the coastal districts of Western Australia. 
Notes .—Also called White-winged Wren. In pairs or family parties, 
showing a preference for spinifex, salt-bush, blue-bush, and open roly-poly 
country. Except that the fully coloured male is shy, it is similar in habits 
to the other species of Wrens. Food: insects and their larva. 
Nest. A dome-shaped structure with a side entrance near the top, 
composed of dried grasses, and lined with feathers or wool. Usually 
placed m a low bush or in a tuft of tall grass, close to the ground. 
Eggs .—Three or four, white, finely freckled with purplish or reddish- 
brown markings; some eggs have a well-defined zone at the larger end. 
Breeding-season: September to January. 
7. White-backed Wren Malums leuconotus Gould 
leiic-o-not'-us —Gk, leucos, white; Gk, not on, back. 
Distribution .—Interior of South Australia. 
Nothing is definitely known of the habits or economy of this 
in exis,cncc ' The is — r '» 
N est. —Undescribed. 
Eggs. —Undescribed. 
8. Variegated Wren Malums lamberti Vigors and Horsfield 
London. ^ B ’ Lanibcrt (1761-1842), Secretary, Linnean Society, 
landed”Ne*r , S^i r Walles Ut ^ COaStal districts of southern Queens- 
parties freauentin^ 3 ^ aillbert s Wren. Usually in pairs or family 
fringes of Scrubs & Jt ^ midcr p' owth > heath-lands, and thickets on the 
ges scrubs. It is very local in habits, a pair keeping to its own 
