46 



NESTS AND EGGS OF AUSTRALIAN BIRDS. 



Nest. — A hole or hollow-spouted limb of a tree. Sometimes a few 

 leaves are in the nesting-place, which is re-used twice in a season if 

 necessary. 



Eggs. — Clutch, two to three ; roundish-oval or nearly round, with 

 either end ahke in shape ; texture comparatively fine, with here and there 

 a small limy excrescence ; surface slightly glossy ; colour, white, 

 Dimensions in inches: l'6xr36. 



Observations.- — The principal habitat of this, the smallest of Australian 

 Owls, is Tasmania, and some of the intermediate islands in Bass Strait, 

 but it is also found on the mainland. A specimen of the bud in beautiful 

 condition was procured on King Island by imitating the night cry, which 

 caused it to come into a tree near our camp, and so meet its doom in the 

 interests of science. The call notes of the Spotted Owl are almost identical 

 with the familiar " mo-poke " of the Boobook Owl. I doubt if the real 

 Boobook is found in Tasmania. 



I leani from Mr. A. E. Bi-ent, who has taken many nests of the Spotted 

 Owl in Tasmania, that a clutch is usually two eggs, which are deposited in 

 a hollow tree, generally about the first week in November. Eggs have 

 also been found at Cliristnias, probably a second clutch, because the birds 

 have been known to rear two broods in the year, or laid by some bird 

 whose eggs had been taken earlier in the season. The same nesting- 

 hollow is often resorted to season after season, and probably occupied by 

 the same pair of Owls. A curious fact worth recording is the method 

 whereby these little Owls store dead mice about their nesting-hollow, 

 sticking them between the splinters, and into cracks of the wood. When 

 food is abundant, some of the little carcasses are left there to di-y up like 

 miniature mummies. 



Breeding months October to December. 



34. — NiNox coNNivENS, Latham. — (34) 

 WINKING OWL. 



Figure — Gould: Birds of .Australia, fol., vol. i., pi. 34, 

 Reference. — Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., vol. ii., p. 175. 



Previous Descriptions of Eg^s. — Gould: Birds of Australia, Handbook, 

 vol. i., p. 71, (1865I ; North: Records Austn. Mus., vol. i. (1891). 



Geographical Distribution. — Australia, except the north-west. 



Nest. — A hole in the trunk of a tree, or hollow-spouted limb. The 

 old nesting-place is frequently re-used. 



Eggs. — Clutch, two to three ; almost roimd in form ; texture of shell 

 somewhat coarse ; siu-face glossy, with occasionally here and there Uttle 

 nodules of lime ; colour, pure white. Dimensions in inches of a proper 

 clutch : (1) 1-86 X 1-62, (2) 1-82 x 1-56, (3) 1-79 x 1-59. 



