BY E. r. RAMSAY, F.L.S. 45 



CovrRTurTioxs to Austhaltax Oology. — Part I. 



Er E. P. Eamsay, F.L.S., &c. 



[Plates II., III., IV.] 



rinding, from numerous enquiries I have lately received from 

 England and the Continent, respecting the Eggs of our Australian 

 Birds, that Oolorjy is becoming of greater interest among Orni- 

 thologists, I considered that descriptions of some of our Australian 

 Birds' Eggs may prove of interest to Oologists at the antipodes. 

 I have accordingly selected such as appear to me to be either 

 altogether undescribed or imperfectly known, and beg to lay 

 before the Society descriptions of 42 species ; many of these have 

 been for years in the Dobroyde Collection, others are to be found 

 in the Australian Museum and in the collections of the various 

 gentlemen whose names are mentioned in connection therewith, 

 I need scarcely state that no Eggs of doubtful authenticity have 

 been described. Descriptions of some rare eggs of Australian 

 Birds will be found in previous numbers of our Society's 

 publications. 



PICAEI.E. 



1. Halcyox pyrrhopygia. Gold J. 



This species breeds in the Bourke and Cobar districts during 

 October and Xovember, it nests in hollow boughs of trees, but 

 on one occasion Mr. James Eamsay took five eggs from the end 

 of a tunnel in the bank of a recently made dam or tank ; these 

 specimens, accompanied by a skin of the parent bird, were sent 

 to me, and measure as follows ; 1-02 x O'SS ; 1-02 x O'SS ; 1-02 x 

 0-88 ; 1-02 X 078 ; 1-04 x 0-87 In. ; they are of a pure glossy 

 white colour. — (Miis. Dohr.) 



2. Dacelo Leachii. 



Eggs four in number for a sitting, placed in a hollow bough or 

 at the end oc tunnels excavated in the nests of the Termites. 



