CALAMANTHUS CAMPESTRIS.
Field Reed-Lark.
Praticola campestris, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Part VIII. p. 171.
T h e Calamanthus campestris is a native of Southern and Western Australia, where it inhabits open
plains and serubby lands, particularly such as are interspersed with tufts of coarse grasses. It has never
yet been discovered within the colony of New South Wales. Like its near ally of Van Diemen E1 Land it
is a rather shy and recluse species, running mouse-like over the ground among the herbage with its
perfectly erect, and is not easily forced to fly, or even to quit the bush m which it has secreted itself.
Its song is an agreeable and pretty warble, which is poured forth while the bird is perched upon the
topmost twig o f a small bush. , . . I . .
This species also emits so very powerful an odour, that my dog frequently pointed at it from a very
considerable distance. RHHRHRH
The food, as ascertained by dissection, was small coleopterous insects, with which its minute stomach
¡rammed. . . , c
The nest, which is placed on the ground, is a globular structure, composed o f grasses and feathers
iggs are three or four in number, o f a light chestnut-colour, thickly blotched w.th deep chestnut-brown,
jarticularly at the larger end. I .
Forehead rufous, passing into the reddish brown of the crown and upper surface, with a stripe o f blackish
irown down the centre of each feather ; wings sandy brown ; internal webs of the primaries dark brown ;
wo centre tail-feathers reddish brown, the remainder reddish brown at the base, crossed towards the
ixtremity with a broad band of brownish black and broadly tipped with white ; over the eye a line of white ;
■ar-coverts mingled rufous and white ; throat white, gradually passing into the buff o f the under surface ;
ill the feathers o f the under surface with a stripe o f brownish black down their centre ; bill blackish
M M HI fiiA Ü f f l of the under mandible ; irides rufous brown ; feet blackish brown.
T h e