NOTES ON THE NESTS AND EGGS OF CERTAIN 

 AUSTRALIAN BIRDS. 



By A. J. North. 



Artamus melanops, Gould. 



This species is found plentifully dispersed throughout the 

 interior of South Australia, and the Darling and Albert districts 

 of New South Wales. The nest is a round, open structure, 

 composed of fibrous roots, lined inside with grasses, and placed in 

 a low bush. Eggs four in number for a sitting, varying consider- 

 ably in the character of their markings, 



A set taken by Mr. K. H. Bennett at Mossgiel, on the 17th of 

 October, 1886, are of a fleshy- white, thickly freckled and spotted 

 with irregularly shaped markings of reddish-brown, and others of 

 a bluish-grey tint appearing as if beneath the surface of the shell. 

 Length (A), 0-87 x 0-69 inch ; (B), 0-9 x 0-67 inch ; (C), 0-85 x 

 0'67 inch ; (D), 0-89 x 0-68 inch. 



Another set of a reddish-white ground colour are heavily 

 blotched all over, but particularly towards the larger end, with 

 bright red and a few indistinct obsolete spots of deep bluish-grey. 

 Length (A), 0-82 x 0-68 inch ^ (B), 0-87 x 067 inch; (C), 0-89 

 x 0-67 inch; (D), 0-87 x 0-68 inch. Taken by Mr. James 

 Ramsay at Tyndarie, November •2nd, 1879. 



The months of September, October, and November constitute 

 the breeding season of this species. 



Strepera intermedia, Sharpe. 



A single egg of this species in the Dobroyde collection, taken at 

 Mount Gawler, South Australia, in 1860, is similar in colour and 

 markings to the egg of the Tasmanian species, S. arguta. Long 

 diameter 1*77 inch, short diameter LI 7. 



