_J. & E. Gould del^t._ _C. Hullmandel Imp._
]
MALURUS MELANOCEPHALUS, _Vig. & Horsf._
Black-headed Wren.
_Scarlet-lacked Warbler_, Lewin, Birds of New Holl., pl. xiv.
_Malurus melanocephalus_, Vig. & Horsf. in Linn. Trans., vol. xv. p.
222.
_Malurus Brownii_, Jard. and Selb. Ill. Orn., vol. ii. pl. 72. fig. 1.
In their “Illustrations of Ornithology,” Sir William Jardine and Mr.
Selby have in a very laudable manner endeavoured to clear up what they
considered some confusion respecting the present and the preceding
species, _M. Brownii_. These gentlemen have, however, fallen into error
in considering the two birds as identical, whereas they are, in fact,
totally distinct.
I have never seen the Black-headed Wren from any other locality than New
South Wales, and I am consequently led to believe that the south-eastern
portion of Australia is its peculiar and limited habitat. It is a local
species, not being generally diffused over the face of the country, like
several other members of the group, but confined to grassy ravines and
gullies, particularly those that lead down from the mountain ranges. I
obtained several pairs of adult birds in very fine plumage in the
valleys under the Liverpool range, all of which I discovered among the
high grasses which there abound; but as the period of my visit was that
of their breeding-season, I never observed more than a pair together,
each pair being always stationed at some distance from the other, and in
such parts of the gullies as were studded with small clumps of scrubby
trees.
The Black-headed Wren has many actions in common with the _M. cyaneus_,
and like that species carries its tail erect: it also frequently perches
on a stem of the most prominent grasses, where it displays its
richly-coloured back, and pours forth its simple song. I did not succeed
in finding the nest, although I knew they were breeding around me: it
was probably placed among the grasses, but was so artfully concealed
that it completely baffled my efforts at finding it.
One might suppose the greater development of feather on the back of this
species to have been given it as a defence against the damp and dense
grasses of the ravines, among which it usually resides; but from the
circumstance of the female not possessing this character of plumage, and
the rich garb being only seasonal in the male, this supposition falls to
the ground. In their winter dress the sexes very nearly resemble each
other; but the males may always be distinguished by the black colouring
of the bill and tail-feathers. The young male of the year has the
tail-feathers brown, like the females, and it is a curious fact, that at
this age these feathers are much longer than in the adult.
The flight of this species is feeble and not protracted; but, on the
contrary, its powers of running and creeping are very considerable.
The breeding-season probably commences in September and continues until
January; its food is insects of various kinds.
The male has the head, all the under surface, wing-coverts, upper
tail-coverts and tail deep velvety black; back of the neck, scapularies
and remainder of the upper surface rich orange-scarlet; bill black; eyes
blackish brown; feet fleshy brown.
Female brown above, paler beneath; bill brown; base of the under
mandible reddish brown; feet flesh-brown.
The Plate represents male and female in the summer plumage, and a young
male in change, on one of the native grasses of New South Wales.
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