360 TIMELIIDiE. 



having one or more nests either perfect or in different stages of dilapidation. While at 

 Copmanhurst, Mr. Clarence Savidge drew my attention to the fact that in many instances the 

 limbs of trees which contained old nests were either bare of leaves or dead. I have had 

 frequent opportunities of observing that several birds often assist in building a nest, and in 

 the daytime have seen two and sometimes three birds leave one of these structures when 

 apparently finished. By throwing a stick against the nests, just about dusk, it will be 

 discovered, too, that one or more are resorted to by several birds as roostmg places. Mr. 

 George Savidge informed me that many nests are built without ever being laid in, and that 

 one he had under observation near his house, the birds were engaged in its construction, or in 

 making additions to it for a period of si.\ weeks. Out of many nests examined, four I found 

 was the average number of eggs laid for a sitting, sometimes only three, and on one occasion 

 six, the latter undoubtedly laid by two birds, for they are of two very distinct types in shape and 

 ground colour. I have, however, several sets of five e^'gs now before me, apparently each set 

 laid by one bird. Mr. E. H. Lane, who has had over forty years experience of these birds on 

 W'ambangalang Station, near Dubbo, writes me: — "F'our or five is the usual number of eggs 

 I have found in the nests of Pomatostomus temporalis, but the most I ever obtained in one nest 

 was nine, eight being perfect and one broken. By their ground colour they appeared to 

 have been laid by two birds. This set I took on the i6th October, 1899, on Wambangalang 

 Station." 



The eggs are extremely \ariable in size, shape, and colour. Typically tiiey are elliptical 

 or elongate-oval in form, ovals and slightly swollen-ovals are not uncommon, and specimens 

 are sometimes found unusually elongate, and pointed at the smaller end, the shell being close- 

 grained, smooth, and lustrous. The ground colour varies from pale brown to faint greyish and 

 olive-brown, light sienna-brown, and purplish-brown and buff, which is as a rule distinctly 

 marbled or veined with blackish or dark brown hair-lines wound latitudinally around the shell, 

 but not infrequently in a zig-zag manner in various directions. In some places fainter blurred 

 streaks take the place of the darker \eins, forming smeared patches, and in rare instances 

 specimens may be found with only indistinct mottlings or dull clouded markings on the larger 

 end of a slightly darker shade of the ground colour. .\n average-sized set of four, taken at 

 Wellington, New South Wales, in August, 1896, measures: — Length (A) i-ijxo-78 inches; 

 (B) ri2xo-75 inches; (C) 1-15 x 0-77 inches; (D) i-ii x o-8 inches. A set of three, taken at 

 Louth, New South Wales, on 20th August, 1887, measures: — (.\) i x 077 inches; (B) 1-03 x 

 0-78 inches; (C) 0-98 x 0-76 inches. Six eggs, taken from a nest at Western Port, Victoria, in 

 September, 1887, two of which are distinctly zoned on the larger end with blackish-brown, 

 measure: — Length (A) i'2xo'7 inches; (B) i'2xo'7 inches; (C) ri3xo'75 inches; (D) i-i x 

 07 inches; (E) rii x 07 inches; (F) i-i x 072 inches. 



The nest figured on Plate .'\. 8, is one I obtained at Copmanhurst, on the 9th November, 

 1898, and is reproduced from a photograph taken the same day by Mr. George Savidge. 



With the exception of the late summer months, the breeding season extends throughout 

 the year. During several visits to Western Port, N'ictoria, nests with eggs were obtained 

 in September and November. .\t \\'ellington. New South Wales, I saw these birds building 

 in .\ugust, although fresh eggs were taken during the early part of that month. At Narrabri 

 and Moree I found young birds flying about in November, and some birds were then 

 engaged in building, as they were also in the Upper Clarence District in the same month of 

 the following year. Mr. George Savidge writes me: — "Pomatostomus temporalis breeds about 

 Copmanhurst at any time; I took eggs in .\pril and May, igoo, and they were still laying in 

 October." 



yVfter re-lining the inside or a depression in the top with bark, the Pdue-faced Honey-eater 

 (Entomyza cyanotis) usually deposits her eggs in the deserted nest of this species. 



