112 NESTS AND EGGS OF AUSTRALIAN BIRDS. 



88. — Rhipidura diemenensis, Sharpe. 

 DUSKY FANTAIL. 



Reference. — Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., vol. iv., p 311. 

 Previous Descriptions 0/ Eggs. — North: Proc. Linn. Soc, N.S- Wales, 

 vol. ii., 2nd ser., p. 406 (1887). 



Geographical Distribution. — Tasmania, and King, Kent, and Fumeaux 

 Islands in Bass Straits. 



Nest. — Resembles that of the mainland species (E. albiscapa), but is 

 more heavily built, constructed of shreds of the inner bark of eucalypts 

 covered exteriorly with cob-webs, and neatly lined inside with the hair-like 

 down of fern trees, reddish flowering stalks of moss, dry hair from banksia 

 blooms, &c. Situation, generally a naked twig near the ground in a small 

 tree or bush in the imderscnib of mountain gulhes or in the open forest 

 aUke. 



Eggs. — Clutch, three usually, four sometimes; short in shape, with one 

 end largely rounded ; textiu-e of shell very fine ; surface slightly glossy ; 

 coloiu% hght yellowish-buff or buffy-white, rather boldly blotched 

 with rufous and grey in the form of a confluent belt round the apex, 

 the markings being darker and heavier in colour than those of the bird's 

 mainland representatives. Dimensions in inches of a pair: (1) -62 x '48, 

 (2) •62X-46. 



Observations. — The Dusky Fantail is confined to Tasmania and some of 

 the islands in Bass Strait, and, as its name implies, this bird is much 

 darker in coloiir than its representative on the mainland. I succeeded in 

 finding one of its wonderfully-constructed nests, containing two eggs, in 

 one of the deep guUies near the base of Mount Wellington, Tasmania, on 

 23rd October, 1883. 



It is on Mr. A. E. Brent's authority that I have stated a clutch of four 

 eggs is occasionally laid by this species, which confirms what I have already 

 stated elsewhere in this book, that the Tasmanian species, or representatives 

 of the same birds inhabiting the mainland, usually lay a larger number 

 of eggs to the clutch. 



The breeding season may be included in the months from October to 

 January. 



89- — Rhipidura rutifronSj Latham. — (136) 



RUFOUS FANTAIL. 



Figure. — Gould : Birds of Australia, fol , vol ii.. pi. 84 



Reference. — Cat Birds Brit Mus , vol. iv., p. 319 



Previous Descriptions of Eggs. — Gould: Birds of Australia, Handbook i., 



p. 241 (1865) ; Ramsay : Proc. Linn. Soc , N.S Wales, vol i., 



2nd ser., p. 1143 (1886). 



Geographical Distrihution. — -Queensland, New South Wales, and 

 Victoria. 



