AESrS AXD EGGS OE AUSTKAL/AA' BIHOS. 8l 



During liis Nortliern Qucouslaud excursion in 1893 Mr. D. Le Souef 

 likewise invaded its haunts, and was fortunate in finding a nest on tlie 

 3rd November. In describing tiie eggs before the Roj'al Society of 

 Victoria, Mr. Le Souef stated tliat tliese birds were sometimes seen in the 

 open country. Tlie parents were secured with the nest, which was 

 suspended from a fork near tlio extremity of a thin bough of a melaleuca, 

 about forty feet from the ground, and difficult to get at. 



Breeding months October to Januaiy. 



The following data are taken from Mr. Ha.iTy Barnard's field notes 

 while collecting at Cape York, season 1896-7 : — " October, two nests, three 

 eggs ea«h; November, one nest, three eggs; December, three nests, each 

 three eggs; Januajty, thi'ee nests, each two eggs." 



60. — Oriolus viridis, Latham. —(283) 

 ORIOLE. 



Figure— Go\i\d : Birds of Australia, fol , vol. iv., pi. 13. 



Reference. — Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., vol. iii., p. 212. 



Previous Descriptions of Eggs. - GonM: Birds of Australia, fol. (1848): 

 Ramsav : Ibis, p 179 (1863), iVf. ; Gould: Handbook, vol. i, p. 463 

 (1S65). 



Geographical Distribution. — Queensland, Now South Wales, Victoria, 

 and South Australia. 



Next. — Open, deep, bulky ; constructed of strips of soft, string-Uke bark, 

 interwoven and matted with leaves, spiders' cocoons, &c., sometimes 

 including string or jute gathered near habitations ; lined inside with 

 stalks of coarse gi'ass ; usually suspended by the rim at the end of a 

 pendulous branch of eucalypt, casuarina, or other tree in forest country. 

 Dimensions over all, 6 to 7 inches by 5i inches in depth ; egg cavity, 4 

 inches across by 2| inches deep. 



Eggs. — Clutch, three, rare instances four ; inclined to oval in fonii ; 

 texture of shell somewhat fine ; surface glossy, sometimes with line-like 

 longitudinal marks or creases ; colour, light-cream, spotted, and moderatelv 

 but boldlv blotched with umber and dull-giey. Dimensions in inches of 

 a proper 'clutch : (1) 1-38 x -92, (2) 1-37 x -gs", (3) 1-35 x -92. (Plate 6.) 



Ohservatioiift. — The Oriole wears a greenish-coloured coat, with the 

 under surface white, beautifully mottled with black, tlie whole finished ofiF 

 \vith scarlet eyes and flesh-coloured bill. Total length, 10| inches; wing, 

 6f inches; tail, 4| inches; bill, l\ inches; tarsus, | inch. 



This interesting bird enjoys a habitat ranging over the greater part 

 of Eastern AustraUa. It wanders to the more southern parts of its range 

 diuing the spring and smnmer montlis, when its melancholy but melodious 

 babbling song may be often heard from the topmost branches of some tall 

 tree in the forest. 

 6 



