414 CONTEIErTIONS TO AUSTRALIAN OOLOGY, 



and dots almost obscuring the ground colour whicii is of a dull 

 white, the larger spots are confluent on the thicker end, this 

 specimen is almost a fac simile of the ordinary variety of the egg 

 of leraciclea orientaUs. No. 2, is 2'G x l"94i inches, while the 

 thicker end is covered with deep reddish-brown spots, the central 

 portion of the egg and the thin end are almost without spots. — 

 {From Mr. BenneWs Coll) 



60. Falco HYPOLEUcrs, Gould. 



This is a rare species not plentiful in any part of A.ustralia, 

 but occasionally obtained in the interior, it aj^pears to be less 

 rare in the northern portion of the interior of Queensland, and 

 Mr. Grould records it from West Australia. I am indebted to 

 Mr. J. B. White for specimens of the eggs taken on the upper 

 Thompson E-iver in Queensland. The nest, from his description 

 is like that of an leraciclea, of sticks and twigs, and placed on a 

 horizontal bough ; the eggs were three in number, length (A.) 

 2*07 in. X 1"51 in. ; (B.) 2 inches x 1'52 in. ; they are oblong ovals 

 the whole of the ground colour obscured by minute dots and 

 freckles of rusty-red, there is in one an indistinct band on the 

 larger end, the shell is smooth slightly glossy ; the bird was seen 

 on the nest.^ — (Mus. Dohr.^from Mr. J. B. White's Collection.) 



61. Melicophilla picata, Gould. 



Mr. K. H. Bennett informs me that this species constructs a 

 nest very similar to that of Melipliaga pliryrjia but of much finer 

 materials, and resembles that of a RJiipidura ; it is placed on a 

 horizontal branch, and cupshaped, composed of strips of fine bark 

 and lined with fur and hair, it is about 1*5 inches high and 3 

 inches in diameter. The eggs, taken in the Lachlan district, were 

 two in number, of a beautiful pale greenish-blue, with rich reddish 

 dots, which cluster and form irregular patches towards the thicker 

 end, but do not form a zone. Another specimen (2) has only a 



