ACANTHIZA INORNATA, Gowda.

Plain-coloured Acanthiza.

Acanthiza inornata, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Part VIII. p. 171.
Djo-bul-djo-bul, Aborigines of the lowland districts of Western Australia.

 

Auruouen neither elegant in form nor characterized by any beauty of plumage, the present little bird
demands as much of our attention as any other species of the group. Its true habitat seems to be the
south-western parts of Australia, for it is numerously dispersed over the colony of Swan River ; it is
equally abundant at King George’s Sound; and as I killed specimens on the small low islands at the
mouths of Spencer’s and St. Vincent’s Gulfs, it is most probable that its range extends all along the coast
between those localities. Independently of its plainer colouring, the truncated form of its tail serves at
once to distinguish it from the Acanthiza apicalis, with which it is often seen in company ; unlike the latter
bird however it does not erect its tail, but carries it in a line with the body.

Its note is a little feeble song somewhat resembling that of the Maluri. It feeds solely on minute insects
of various kinds, in searching for which it assumes the usual clinging and prying positions of other insecti-
vorous birds which seek their food among the leaves and branches of shrubs and trees.

It breeds in November; the nest, which is of a domed form, being placed in some low shrub, often in that
of the jam-wood, and composed of grasses lined with a few feathers.

The eggs are five in number, and of a white colour, slightly tinged with greenish grey; they measure
seven and a half lines long by five and a half lines broad.

No visible difference is observable in the outward appearance of the sexes.

All the upper surface, wings and tail olive-brown ; primaries dark brown ; tail crossed by a broad band
of brownish black ; all the under surface light buff; irides greenish white ; bill and feet black.

The figures are those of a male and a female of the natural size.