SUPPLEMENT TO NESTS AND EGGS OF A.USTR. BIRDS — NORTH. 15 



adult male specimen, was procured. This species evinces a 

 prefei'ence for the country lying between Normanton on the Gulf 

 of Carpentaria, and Townsville on the North-eastern coast of 

 Queensland, on the grassy plains of which they are occasionally 

 captured and sent to the southern markets. Like all the members 

 of the Ploceidce family it constructs a large dome shaped nest of 

 dried grasses, which is usually placed in a low bush or tuft of 

 long grass. The eggs are five in number for a sitting, true ovals 

 in form and pure white ; two specimens received from Dr. Henry 

 Sinclair last season measure (A) 0*6 x 0-47 inch ; (E) 0"6 x 0*45 

 inch. 



Ptilotis frenata, Ramsay. Bridled Honey-eater.' 



Ramsay, Proc. Zool. Soc, 1874, p. 603. 



This species, oneof the latest additions to the known Melipliagicuf, 

 is found in the thickly timbered coastal ranges lying between Cairns 

 and Cardwell in North-eastern Queensland. A nest of this bird 

 obtained by Mr. W. S. Day at Cairns on the 28th of November, 

 1891, and from which the parents were procured, was placed in 

 a mass of creepers growing over a small shrub, at a height of 

 about three feet from the ground ; it contained two eggs partially 

 incubated. The nest in question is built of stronger materials 

 than is generally used by members of this genus, and was likewise 

 unattached by the rim ; the eggs too are unlike those of typical 

 specimens of the Ptilotes, approaching nearer in colour and 

 disposition of their markings those of some members of the 

 Artamido'. The nest is cup-shaped, and outwardly composed of 

 long pliant stems of a climbing plant and portions of the soft 

 reddish-brown stems of a small fern ; inside it is neatly lined 

 with a white wiry looking vegetable fibre, forming a strong 

 contrast to the reddish-brown hue of the exterior ; it measures 

 4-25 inches in diameter by 2-6 inches in height, internal diameter 

 2"5 inches x 1-6 inch in height. The eggs are oval in form, 

 tapering gently to the smaller end, and are white with minute 

 dots and rounded markings of purplish-black and purplish-grey, 

 the latter colour appearing as if beneath the surface of the shell, 

 as usual the markings predoujinate on the thicker end where in 

 places they become confiuent and form an irregular zone ; with 

 the exception of these zones, the markings on one of the specimens 

 are larger and more sparingly dispersed, in the other they are 

 uniformly distributed over the greater portion of the surface of 

 the shell. Length (A) 0-93 x 0-65 inch ; (B) 095 x 0-65 inch. 



Orthonyx spinicaudus, Temminck. Spine-tailed Orthonyx. 



Gould, Handhk. Bds. Austr., Vol. i., sp. 372, p. 607. 



The nest of the Spine-tailed Orthonyx is dome-shaped and large 

 for the size of the bird, and resembles somewhat that of the Lyre- 



