MALUKUS. 



225 



growing in narrow gullies on the rocky ranges; it is also to be met with in 'roley-poley' bushes 

 and other thiclv undergrowth." 



A nest in the collection of the Australian Museum, taken by the late Mr. K. H. Bennett at 

 Mossgiel, New South Wales, in October, 1885, is a dome-shaped structure, with a narrow entrance 

 near the top; outwardly it is formed of fine silvery- white dried grasses and their flowering plant- 

 stalks, the inside being slightly lined at the bottom with plant down. E.xternally it measures 

 five inches in height, by three inches in width, and across the entrance one inch. It was built 

 in a Needle Bush (Hakca IcuiOpteva ). at a height of five feet from the ground, and contained 

 three eggs, .\nother nest, taken by Mr. Bennett at Yandembah in October, 1S99, is similarly 

 constructed, but was placed in a low bush within a few inches of the ground. 



The eggs are three or four in number for a sitting. o\al in form, the shell being close- 

 grained, smooth, and lustreless. They are of a dull white ground colour, which is sprinkled 

 over with dots, spots, and blotches of faint pinkish-red, the markings predominating as usual 

 on the thicker end. Length (A) 0-62 x 0-5 inches; (B) 0-63 x 0-5 inches; (C) o'66 x 0-47 inches. 

 A set taken by Mr. James Ramsay at Tyndarie, New South Wales, measures:— (A) 0-62 x 0-5 

 inches; (B) o-66 x 0-47 inches; (C) 0-65 x 0-47 inches. Mr. C. E. Cowle, of Illamurta, Central 

 Australia, has found the egg of Laiiij:<rocociy.\ basalis in the nest of Malunis assimilis. 



This species was found breeding by the late Mr. K. H. Bennett and Mr. J. Ramsay in 

 Western New South Wales in October, also in the same month and November by Dr. A. M. 

 Morgan in South i\ustralia. 



Young males resemble the adult female. In their progress towards maturity the under 

 surface liecomes almost a uniform dull white; the rich chestnut loral streak and circle of 

 feathers around the eye is lost; some of the uiner scapulars are dull chestnut-red, and the bill 

 is brownish-black. Wing rg inches. 



Malurus amabilis. 



LOVELY SUPERB WARBLER. 

 Malurus amabilix, Gould, Proc. Zool. Soc, 1850, p. 277; id., Handhk. Bds. Austr., Vol. I., p. 328 



(1865); id., Bds. Austr., fol, SuppL, pi. 21 (1869); Sharpe, Cat. Bds. Brit. Mus., Vol. lY., 



p. 293 (1879). 

 Malurus Injpoleucus, Gould, Ann. ifc Mag. Nat. Hist., Se.f, 3, Vok XIX., p. 369 (1867); id., Bds. 



Austr., fob, SuppL, pb 22 (1869). 

 Adult male— ForeAearf, croivn and sides of the head, nape, a line of feathers around the front 

 of the eye, ear-coverts, and a lengthened tuft of plumes extending on to the sides of the neck, light 

 cobalt; a broad collar on the hind-neck, the lower back and rump, rich velvety-black; mantle and 

 upper portion of the back pale cmrulean-blue ; scapulars chestnut-rufous: quills dark broivn; the 

 lesser and median upper wing-coverts blackish, the inner greater coverts and inner secondaries dark 

 brown edged with rufous; tail feathers dark blue tipped with white, outer iveb of the imiermost 

 feather white, the white tips decreasing in size towards the central pair; a triangular shaped patch 

 next the blue feathers in front of the eye black; chin, throat, sides of the neck, and upper portion of 

 the breast black; remainder of the under surface white slightly tinged with fawn colour on the 

 thighs; bill black; legs and feet dark fleshy-broivn; iris black. Total length 4-8 inches, tving 2, 

 tail 2-4, bill 0-42, tarsus 0-8-5. 



Adult female— CertemZ colour above dull deep blue; wings brown; the upper wing-coverts 

 slightly tinged with dull blue; tail feathers deep blue tipped with tvhite, outer web of the outermost 

 feather white, the tvhite tips decreasing in size towards the central pair; lores and a circle of feathers 

 around the eye white tinged with fulvous ; feathers behind the eye and the ear-coverts cobalt-blue; all 



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