Vol. XXIV. 
1925 
Stray Feathers. 
303 
were trying to break a record. It finished with a “morepork, 
drawn out and well pronounced. Apparently out of breath with 
the effort, it took a spell for a few minutes, and then repeated the 
performance, uttering the “por” notes more quickly, if possible. 
Mr. Chaffey believed the female was sitting at the time. Robt. 
H. D. STiDOLrn, R.A.O.U., Masterton, N . 7 
* * * 
A Nest of the Maiiee Emu-Wren. — Just recently 1 re¬ 
ceived rather a remarkable nest of this little semi-desert 
form of the Emu-wren. It is remarkable in so far 
as a quantity of cast snakeskin was used in the construc¬ 
tion and decoration of the nest. The cast snakeskin was 
broken into small pieces, and the nest, when viewed in bright 
sunlight, had a shining appearance. It would be interesting to 
know if any of your readers have records of snakeskin being 
used by this bird, or any other of the genus (Stipiturus). 
The nest was taken in the Mallee, in the north-west of Victoria. 
It is almost globular in form, measuring 3 inches in height and 
width by 3 54 inches from front to back. The entrance, which 
measures i *4 inches, has a slight hood, and is similar to the en¬ 
trance to the nest of a Malums. The main wall is made up of 
dark-coloured grasses, pieces of dark fibre, picked tip from under 
the porcupine grass, and quite a quantity of the needie- 
like spines from porcupine grass ( Triodia ) well worked 
in together. In the bottom of the nest itself, a thick 
bed of thistledown, snakeskin, and cocoons was laid, 
and finally a snug lining of soft feathers, qmongst which 
are noticed several green feathers of the V aried Parrot 
(Psc phot ns varins). Externally, the nest is beautifully deco¬ 
rated with cobweb, cocoons, feathers, thistledown and a quantity 
of cast snakeskin. The nest was placed 18 inches from the 
ground, and well down amidst the spines of the porcupine bush. 
It contained three fresh eggs, which are smaller and more 
rounded than typical eggs of the Emu-wrens from more favoured 
places near the coast-line. The eggs, moreover, are more 
freckled all over, especially near the large end, though the usual 
zone of freckles, as in Emu-wrens’ eggs, is barely defined in the 
set under notice. — ). Neil McGilp, R.A.O.U., Kings I aik, 
Adelaide. 
The While-eared Honeyeater (Meliphaga leiicotis )—-This 
familiar bird is common in the Monaro district, and its delightful 
notes add life and music to the lonely valleys of the Upper 
Snowy and Thredbo Rivers. Here it finds a happy home among 
the overhanging tea-trees which in the summer are covered with 
flowers and crowded with small beetles. The birds usually nest 
low in the bushes, but in one instance a cosy cup-shaped nest was 
placed in a tussock of grass within a foot of the ground A% S 
IvK Souef, Sydney. 
