BY ALFRED J. NORTH. 217 



breadth. The egg measures 1-36 inch in length by 1-02 inch in 

 breadth, and without its underlying blotches and smears some- 

 what resembles those of the Friar Bird ( Tropidorhynchus corni- 

 culatus). 



The Oriole's eggs from the above nest are of the usual variety 

 found, being of a creamy-brown ground colour, minutely dotted 

 and boldly blotched all over with different shades of umber-brown, 

 intermingled with underlying markings of deep bluish-grey. 

 Length, (A) 1-35 x 0-98 inch; (B) 1-4 x 1-03 inch; (C) 1-43 x 

 1-01 inch. 



It will be observed that the Qgg of Flinder's Cuckoo is the same 

 size as those of Mimeta viridis, although as a rule the eggs of 

 Australian Cuckoos are larger than those of the birds in w^hose 

 nests they are deposited. In the choice of a foster-parent for its 

 young Kudynantis cyauocephala has, however, exercised great 

 discrimination in selecting a species that, like itself, depends 

 entirely on fruits and berries for its subsistence during the spring 

 and summer months. 



Megalurus galactotes, Temminck. 



Although the range of the Tawny Grass-bird extends over the 

 greater portion of Northern and Eastern Queensland, and Northern 

 New South Wales, it is of so shy and retiring disposition that it 

 is a species seldom met with, and only on one occasion have I 

 heard of its nest and eggs being found. The late Mr. George 

 Barnard, of Coomooboolaroo, Queensland, shortly before his 

 decease informed me that v/hile collecting specimens of Micro- 

 lepidoptera on his station on the 26th of October, 1893, he flushed 

 one of these birds from the rush-bordered bank of a dry creek, 

 and, after a diligent search, succeeded in finding its nest at the 

 bottom of a tuft of long rushes. The nest was a deep cup-shaped 

 structure, slightly domed or narrowed at the top, and was out- 

 wardly composed of dried swamp grasses, lined inside with 

 feathers, and contained three fresh eggs, tvv^o of which he unfortu- 

 nately broke. The remaining egg has recently been forwarded 

 to me for examination by Mr. Charles Barnard. It is precisely 



