_J. Gould and H. C. Richter del et lith._ _C. Hullmandel Imp._
]
DRYMODES BRUNNEOPYGIA, _Gould_.
Scrub Robin.
_Drymodes brunneopygia_, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Part VIII. p.
170.
I discovered this singular bird in the great Murray Scrub in South
Australia, where it was tolerably abundant; I have never seen it from
any other part of the country, and it is doubtless confined to such
portions of Australia as are clothed with a similar character of
vegetation. It is a quiet and inactive species, resorting much to the
ground, over which and among the underwood and low stunted bushes it
passes with great ease; it appeared rarely to take wing, but to depend
for security upon its dexterity in hopping away under the dense
underwood of the most scrubby parts; I have, however, occasionally
observed it to mount to the most elevated part of a low bush, and there
pour forth a sharp monotonous whistling note, not very unlike that of
some of the _Pachycephalinæ_; indeed it was its note that first
attracted my attention and led to its discovery. When on the ground, and
sometimes when perched on a twig, it elevates its tail considerably, but
not to the extent of the _Maluri_.
This new form evidently belongs to the _Saxicolinæ_, and has many habits
in common with the members of the genus _Petroica_.
The sexes are alike in colouring, but the female is much smaller than
her mate; the young, as will be seen in the accompanying Plate,
resembles the immature Petroicas in the character of its plumage.
Head and all the upper surface brown, passing into rufous brown on the
upper tail-coverts; wings dark brown, the coverts and primaries edged
with dull white; primaries and secondaries crossed near the base on
their inner webs with pure white; tail rich brown, all but the two
middle feathers tipped with white; under surface greyish brown, passing
into buff on the under tail-coverts; irides, bill and feet blackish
brown.
The Plate represents an adult male and a young bird of the natural size.
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