38 



five feet from the ground, several of these nests now before me have 

 been built between the forked stems, or where several vines cross 

 each othei-, in other instances they have been placed at the base 

 of leaves on the thin horizontal stems, to which the nest is 

 attached. The outside of the nest is formed of tliin twigs, wiry 

 rootlets, skeletons of leaves, and the fibre of the " lawyer vine," the 

 inside which is cup-shaped, being neatly lined with finer materials, 

 while the exterior portion of the nest is ornamented with mosses 

 and lichens, which gives it a pleasing appearance. Extei'ior 

 diameter 4'5 inches, depth 4 inches, internal diameter 2-75 inclies, 

 depth 11 inch. The eggs are two in number for a sitting, and 

 closely resemble in shape and colour large specimens of Artainus 

 siiperciliosiis, being of a dull bufty-white ground colour, thickly 

 covered, especially towards the larger end with clouded markings 

 of umber-brown, in some instances tliey are more clearly defined 

 and boldly blotched, and have markings of deep bluish-grey 

 appearing as if beneath the surface of the shell. A set taken on 

 the 18th September measures as follows: — Length (A) 1-05 x 

 0-75 inch ; (B) 1-07 x 0-77 inch.* Plate i., fig. 4. ' 



Ortiionyx spaldingi, Raiiisay. Spalding's Orthonyx. 



" CJioivcliilla." Aborigines of Cairns District. 



This species has recently been met with rather freely dispersed 

 througii the dense brushes of the coastal range, chiefly in the 

 neighbourliood of tlie iNIulgrave and Russell Rivers, in North- 

 Eastern Queensland. Mr. Cairn, who found several nests of this 

 species, states they are usually built in the tangled roots of 

 "lawyer vines," but not unfrequently on the top of the elk's-horn 

 fern, as high as twelve feet from the ground. The nest is a 

 large bulky dome-shaped structure with an entrance on one side, 

 it is composed of twigs, roots and mosses, chiefly a species of 

 Hyjyuum, so loosely put together that it will not bear removal. 

 Unlike its southern ally 0. spinicmulns, it appears tliat only 

 one egg is laid for a sitting. A nest found near " Boar Pocket," 

 on the ■20th June last, contained but one egg in an advanced 

 state of incubation, others were found as late as the middle 

 of August. The breeding .season this year (1889) would appear 

 to be from May till the end of September, young birds being 

 procured in June, but as in other parts of Australia the breeding 

 season of birds is greatly influenced by the rains. The eggs, 

 which are pure white, vary from elongated to swollen ovals, some 

 being equal in size at each end. Two average sized specimens 

 measure:— (A) 1-45 x 1 inch; (B) 1-38 x M inch.* Plate i., 

 fig. 2. 



*.P.L.S., N.S.W., 2nd Ser., Vol. iv., Doc, 1889. 



