40 



PTILON'ORdY.NCIlID.i;. 



The latter is an open saucer-shaped structure, formed externally of long thin twigs and 

 lined inside with dried Eucalyptus leaves. Externally it averages elexen inches in diameter 

 by a depth of four inches and a half; internally six inches in diameter by one inch and a 

 half in depth. Two is the usual number of eggs laid for a sitting, three occasionally, and 

 sometimes only one. None of the eggs of the family Ptilonorhynchidae vary so much in 

 shape, colour, character, and disposition of their markings as those of the Satin Bower-bird. 

 On Plate B. II., Figures 1 and 2, are those I consider fairly typical specimens. One is 

 oval in form and of a rich cream ground colour, uniformly blotched, spotted, and dotted with 

 different shades of umber-brown and similar underlying markings of dull bluish-grey, the texture 

 of the shell being fine and its surface slightly glossy : — Length i-7xi-2 inches. The other, 

 of not so common a type, is elongate oval, and of a similar ground colour, with large irregular 

 shaped blotches and a few dots of dark umber-brown sparingly and unevenly distributed 

 over the shell, some of the markings having almost an inky hue : — Length i-8xi"2 inches. 



These specimens, ex- 

 ^ cept for their larger 

 size, closely resemble 

 the eggs of Oriolus 

 sagittatiis, and are of 

 the usual type found 

 in (iii)psland, N'ictoria. 

 Similar in colour, but 

 \arying considerably 

 in the character of the 

 markings, are speci- 

 mens taken in the Illa- 

 warra District of New 

 South Wales. Short 

 wavy irregular lines, 

 and blurred figures 

 like those on some 

 specimens of Sericulus 

 melinus take the place 

 of blotches and spots 



on the common type: — Length i-8xi-i3 inches. Another egg from the same district has 

 large clouded patches of dull violet and purplish-grey appearing as if beneath the surface 

 of the shell: — Length 1-75 xri inches. Tw-o eggs, taken by Mr. A. P. Kemp near West 

 Kempsey, in December, 1896, are of a pale creamy-white ground colour, with a few bold 

 irregular-shaped linear streaks, and spider-shaped markings of dark umber-brown, intermingled 

 with similar underlying markings of bluish-grey, which are confined entirely to the larger end 

 of the shell: — Length (A) 1-72 x 1-2 inches; (B) i-^ x 1-23 inches. Another set is elongate oval in 

 form and very pointed at the smaller end, of a faint cream ground colour, with long, streaky 

 linear, right and acute angled markings, and small blurred patches of umber-brown and 

 similar underlying markings of dull violet-grey: — Length (A) 178 x i-i6 inches; (B) 175 x i-i6 

 inches. The character of the markings on the latter set resembles that frequently seen on 

 the eggs of Sterna bergii. 



The nest figured was taken near McEwan Creek, one mile from Jenolan Caves. Two 

 nests were found, one on the 9th, the other on the i8th December, 1898. They were both 

 built in thick lichen-covered forks of Bursayia spiiwsa, about ten feet from the ground, and 

 each contained a single incubated egg. 



NEST AMI i;(;<;s OK .S.\T1N' HOWKK-HI HI). 



