30 RECORDS OF THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM. 



The eggs, which were in an advanced state of incubation, are 

 two in number, oval in form somewhat pointed at the smaller 

 end, the shell being close-grained, smooth and lustrous. They 

 are of a uniform tieshy-buff colour, being of a slightly richer 

 shade on the larger end, where on one specimen, with the aid of 

 a lens, a few very minute darker dots may be seen. The eggs of 

 this species are indistinguishable in colour from a variety of those 

 of its close ally Ftilotis sonm'a, Gould, also from those of the 

 Pallid Cuckoo (Cucuhis pallidus, Latham). 



Relative to taking the above nest and set of eggs, Mr. Smith has 

 kindly supplied me with the following notes: — "This species is fairly 

 plentiful on one of the Frankland Islands off the coast of north-east- 

 ern Queensland. It has a loud call that attracted my attention 

 as our boat drew near the island, as something quite difierent to 

 anything I had heard befoi'e, but cannot describe it at all. There 

 is a shrub with a number of thin upright leafy twigs which grows 

 over half the island, and it was in one of these about ten yards 

 from the beach the nest was built. It was seven feet from the 

 ground, and attached to thin upright twigs on one side, and the 

 horizontal branch on the other side which remains fastened to 

 the nest. It contained two eggs very much incubated, and while 

 I was taking them the pair of birds perched on a tree alongside 

 and uttered their loud cries. I brought both down with one 

 shot without damaging either as specimens." 



