92 



A'ESTS AXD teas OF AUSTRAL/AN BIRDS. 



Egga. — Clutch, three ; oval in shape ; texture of shell fine ; sui-face very 

 glossy ; colour, pearly-white, heavily blotched on the apex, but sparingly 

 elsewhere, with dark-olive and dull-slate. Very similar to those of 

 C. harmonica. Dimensions in inches of a pair: (1) 117 x -87, 



(2) M4x-83; odd example: MU x -84. 



Observations. — Although I met the Buff-bellied Shrike Thiiish fre- 

 quently in Western AustraUa, I was unable to discover a nest, but while 

 there was thankful to receive the eggs second-hand. 



Gilbert mentions that on two occasions he found the eggs of this bii'd 

 in old nests of the White-browed Babbler ( Pomatorhinus .^uperciliosusj. 

 I suppose we are to infer the nest of the Thrush waa built into the 

 Babbler's, as in the case occasionally of the Tasmanian species building 

 into an old home of the Ring-tailed Opossum. 



Chief breeding months September to October, tlie season extending 

 probably on to the end of the year. 



69. — CoLLYRiociNCLA BOWERi, Ramsay. 

 BOWER SHRIKE THRUSH. 



Reference. — Proc. Linn. Soc, N. S. Wales, vol. x , p. 244 (1885) 



Geographical Distribution. — North-west Australia, Northern Territory 

 and North Queensland. 



Nest and Eggs. — Undescribed. 



Observations. — Bower Shrike Tlunsh is a dark and fine species — the 

 darkest of its group — with brownish underneath parts. The original 

 specimen was procured by the late Mr. Bowyer-Bower, near Caiins. 12th 

 December, 1884. 



70. — PiNAEOLESTES P.A^RVULUS, Gould. — (127) 



LITTLE SHRIKE THRUSH. 



Figure. — Gould : Birds of Australia, £ol., vol. ii., pi. 78. 



Re/ereiuc. — Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., vol. iii., p. 296. 



Previous Descriptions of Eggs. — Gould; Birds of .\ustralia (1848), also 



Handbook, vol. i., p. 225 (1865); North; .\ustn. Mus. Cat., 



p. 81 fiSSg) 



Geographical Distribution. — Northern Territoiy. 



Nest. — Resembles that of (J. brunnea in construction and for situation. 



Eggs. — Clutch, two, rarely three ; beautiful pearly flesh-white, regularly 

 spotted aU over with dull reddish-orange and umber-brown ; like the eggs 



