plumage the birds had at that time, excepting the shortness of the tail; another was that I never saw the parents feeding them after they left the nest, although I was constantly passing and repassing the aviary; I think they must do so, unless they mature more quickly than the Bronze-wing does. In February they began to nest for the fourth time, and on the 14th were sitting on two eggs, in the same obscure corner; but misfortune was to overtake them again, in a somewhat similar way to that which befel their second effort. The grounds were about to be opened to the public again, for the benefit of a charity, and it was necessary that this aviary should be turfed, the only one in which the natural grass had disappeared; while this was being done, the bird got frightened by the constant intrusion, flew excitedly from her nest, and eventually deserted it on the 22nd of the month.
I bewailed the loss very much, and concluded the end of the season had arrived, but not so; in a few days I noticed the male bird curtsying and cooing to his mate, and nesting preparations being made for the fifth time, by the 2nd of March they had settled down to work again, and are sitting steadily enough at present.
I have not been able to supply any data as to the length of time each bird sits, or at what hours they exchange places. The sexes being so exactly alike in marking, I have found it difficult to tell which one was on the nest.
The Coloured Plate (XIII.)
Mirafra woodwardi (Rufous Bush-Lark) was discovered by Mr. John T. Tunney, the collector for the Western Australian Museum, Perth, on the red sand tracts near Onslow in North West Australia, although, according to Dr. P. L. Sclater, F.R.S., one specimen was received by the British Museum from the Gould collection, and registered as M. horsfieldi. Mr. Tom Carter, lately of Point Cloates, in his article entitled "Birds Occurring in the Region of the North-West Cape,"[1] stated that his attention was first drawn to these birds on the 30th October, 1900, when they were seen dusting themselves in the red sand. Mr. Carter further states that the birds are tame in habit, and were only seen on the inland red sand plains, and that they sit close in the grass, but occasionally perch in the bushes.
The bird was described by Mr. Alex. Wm. Milligan,[2] the Honorary Ornithologist to the Western Australian Museum, Perth, and named in honour of Mr. B. H. Woodward, F.G.S., C.M.Z.S., the Director of the same institution.
Mr. Robert Hall, F.L.S., C.M.Z.S., described the nest and eggs of the species in the Vict. Nat., xviii., page 80.
Amytis housei (Black Grass-Wren) was discovered by Dr. F. M. House in North-West Kimberley in the year 1901.[3] That gentleman,
