BY A. F. BASSET HULL. 687 



Dr. Metcalfe informed me that this bird has two breeding seasons, 

 (1) August to December, (2) March to May. During the latter 

 season it lays four eggs, while two form the complement during 

 the spring and summer breeding. The local name is said to be 

 •derived from the bird's habit of eating ripe guavas. 



Eggs, colour and markings similar to those of M. vinitincta, 

 bnt the average dimensions are slightly larger; three from different 

 nests measured by North were {a) l'18x0-83; (6) 1-21 x 0-82; 

 (c) 1-19 X 0-8. Those in my collection measure : 



(1) a, Ml X 0-86; 6, M8 x 0-85(13th Oct., 1908). 



(2) «, 1-13 X 0-85; 6, 1-21 x 0-83(llth Oct., 1908). 



(3) rt, 1 26 X 0-84; 6, M2 x 0-83(lst Dec, 1908). 



(4) a, M2 X 0-88; 6, 1-23 x 0-84(lst Dec, 1908). 



(5) a, 1 x 0-76; h, I x 0-74(25th Dec, 1908.) This set is ab- 

 normally small, pale blue, with very faint markings, 



'646 (M). 70.GRALLIXA picata Latham. 



Magpie Lark. 



Hah. — Lord Howe Island( visitor only.) (Australia generally, 

 Tasmania). 



This bird, I was informed by several inhabitants, is a by no 

 means infrequent visitor at liord Howe Island. It has not been 

 recorded elsewhere as a visitor to this Island. 



'668(M). 71.Pachycephala contempta Hartert. 



Lord Howe Thickhead; Robin, or Yellow Robin (L.H.I.). 



Padiycephala gutturalis, Ramsay, p. 37; Etheridge, 'Lord Howe 

 Island,' p. 9. 



Pachyce'phala contempta Hartert, B.O.C. viii., p.xv.(1898). 



Pachycepliala hoivensis, North, Rec Aust. Mus., v, p. 125(1903). 



Hah. — Lord Howe Island. 



The Australian jNluseum Memoir on Lord Howe Island follows 

 Dr. Ramsay in identifying the Lord Howe Thickliead with F. 

 yntturalis [jjectoralis) oi Latham. In 1903, North, having ex- 

 amined a series of skins, says "This species is closely allied to 

 Fachycephala gutturalis Latham, of the Australian continent, but 



