B A S Y O E O T S T EO Tm <D > § T O I S : fo n te .
DASYORNIS LONG1ROSTRIS, Gould.
Long-billed Bristle-bird.
Dasyornis longirostris, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Part VIII. p. 170.
Djyr-dal-ya, Aborigines of the lowland districts of Western Australia.
T he present species assimilates very closely in the character and colouring o f its plumage to its eastern
analogue, the Dasyornis Australis; but differs from that bird in being o f a smaller size and in having a longer
bill. It is a native o f Western Australia, and is very generally distributed over the colony o f Swan River,
where it inhabits reed-beds and long grasses, and is occasionally seen in scrubby places. “ It is so remarkably
shy,” says Mr. Gilbert, “ that it is extremely difficult to get even a glimpse o f i t : from the little I could
observe o f the bird in a state o f nature, it appeared to me to feed on the ground, where its actions are
extremely quick, running over the surface with its tail erect, very like the Maluri; but when perched the
tail is either carried horizontally, or hanging down. The only time when it can be seen with a chance of
procuring specimens, is when it ascends to a small branch or the top o f a scrub to sing. Its notes are
extremely varied, some being very loud and clear, and so much lengthened as to approach a song; but no
two birds sing alike.
“ Its flight is extremely heavy and very low; in fact the bird appears incapable o f rising more than a few
yards above the scrub or long grass it inhabits; it is consequently very rarely seen on a tree.
“ The nest is formed of dry wiry grass without any lining, more globular than those o f the Maluri, but,
like them, with an opening in the sid e ; it is o f rather a large size, and the only one I met with was built in
a clump o f coarse grass, sheltered by an overhanging dead bush, at about seven inches from the ground.
It contained -two eggs, the ground-colour of which is dull brownish white, blotched and freckled with
purplish brown, some o f the blotches appearing as if beneath the surface, particularly at the larger end,
where they are most numerous.
“ The stomach is thick and muscular, and its food consists of seeds and insects.”
The sexes so closely resemble each other, that a representation and description o f one will suffice for both.
All the upper surface brown; wings, tail-coverts and tail rufous brown, the latter indistinctly barred with
a darker t in t; under surface grey, gradually passing into the brown o f the upper surface; irides bright
reddish brown; upper mandible brown, lower mandible bluish green at the tip and greenish white at the
base; legs bluish grey.
The Plate represents a male and female o f the natural size.