680 THE BIRDS OF LORD HOWE AND NORFOLK ISLANDS, 



441 (M), 59 Petrceca multicolor Gmelin. 



Norfolk Island Robin; Eobin(N.I.). 



Petrceca erythrogastra Gould, p.526; Petro&ca multicolor, 

 Ramsay, p.37; North, 'Nest and Eggs,' p. 410. 



Hah. — Norfolk Island. 



This species, peculiar to Norfolk Island, is common in the 

 timber near cultivation, the bright colour of the male being very- 

 conspicuous as he perches on the stumps or low branches of the 

 shrubs. The nest is similar to that of P. leggii, but somewhat 

 larger, deeper, and more warmly lined with tine cowhair, thistle- 

 down, or other soft material. Outwardly it is constructed of 

 mosses, ornamented with bright green lichens. It is generally 

 placed in an upright fork at any convenient point, from a few 

 feet from the ground to the topmost twigs of a tree fifty feet in 

 height. Two nests taken for me were in very high whitewood 

 trees, and another was placed on the horizontal branch of a 

 Norfolk Island pin«. The breeding season commences in 

 September, and extends over the two following months. Eggs, 

 clutch two generally, occasionally three(North, three or four). 

 Oval in form, greyish or greenish ground, freckled, spotted or 

 blotched with warm brown over the whole shell, but more 

 thickly at the larger end, where the markings occasionally become 

 confluent and form a cap or zone. 



Dimensions : 

 (l)a, 0-74 X 0-59; 6, 0-75 x0-58;c, 0-77 x 0-58(21st Oct., 1908). 



(2) a, 0-75 X 0-60; 6, 0-74 x 059(22nd Oct., 1908). 



(3) a, 0-84 X 0-61; h, 0-77 x 0-61(llth Nov., 1908). 



453(M). 60.GERYGONE THORPBi Ramsay. 



Rain-bird, or Pop-goes-the-Weasel(L.H.I.). . 



Gerygone thorpei Ramsay, Proc. Linn. Soc. N. S. Wales, ii.(2nd 

 Ser.), p.677(1887); Etheridge, 'Lord Howe Island,' p.9. 

 Hab. — Lord Howe Island. 



