I 2-1 



.VESTS AXD EGGS OF AVSTKALIAN BIRDS. 



paper-like bark, large glossy leaves and handsome yellow flowers, 

 attracting numbers of insects, and vying in sjilendour with the colour of 

 the bird's own handsome breast. 



Dr. Ramsay, during his trip to the Rockingham Bay district, in 

 Januaiy, 1874, wrote: — "I was deUghted to find this pretty species, 

 and secui-ed some fine sldns in time, as they had just finished breeding, 

 and in a few days afterwards I foimd them moulting," 



Diuing my own camp at Cardwell, 1885, a mated pair of these 

 beautifid Flycatchers was shot in a pocket of scrub near the tents. 



At Cape York, 1896, Mr. Harry Barnard found three nests of the 

 Yellow-breasted Flycatcher, each containing a pair- of eggs, on the 

 respective dates of the 14th, 28th, and 31st December. 



These record clutches now repose respectively in the collections of 

 Dr. Chas. Ryan, Dr. Wm. Snowball, and Mr. D. Le Souef. 



Concerning the first nest, which was figured in the " Ibis, " 

 Mr. Le Souef states: — "Mr. H. G. Barnard found the nest and two 

 eggs of tliis interesting Flycatcher on the 14th December, 1896. It is 

 locally called the Bo-it-billed Flycatcher, an appropriate name. The nest 

 was built in the fork of a tliiu projecting branch, and was fourteen feet 

 from the gi-ound. It is a shallow stnictiu'e, the interior being built 

 entirely of ciu'ly vine tendrils — a springy uneven siu'face for the delicate 

 eggs. The exterior is composed of thin twigs, and the nest is fastened 

 to the branch with cob-webs ; a little of the same material is used 

 to help to keep the outer portion of the structure together. The twigs 

 used are the same kind as the Fiill-necked Flycatcher (A. lurcalu) 

 uses for her nest. The external depth is If inches, internal i inch ; 

 external diameter 3+ inches, internal li inches. " 



The follo\ving are Mr. Barnard's field note? concerning the other 

 two nests: — ''Nest taken 28th December, in tall tree in thick scrub, 

 was about thirty feet from the ground on a thin bough projecting about 

 ten feet from the main stem. Had to cut the bough through with my 

 pocket-knife and draw it gently to me till I could reach the eggs, two 

 in number, and perfectly fresh. Third nest taken 31st December was 

 placed in long thin sapling, about forty feet from the ground. As the 

 sapling would not bear my weight, I climbed a ueighboiuiug tree and 

 lowered myself by a thick vine till I could reach the nest, and secured two 

 eggs, which were weU incubated. This nest was also on the end of a 

 projecting bough." 



100. — SisuEA iNQUiET."^, Latham.— 141. 

 RESTLESS FLYCATCHER. 



Figure.- Gould : Birds of .\ustralia, fol , vol. ii., pL 87. 



Reference. — Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., vol. iv , p. 407. 



Previous Descriptions of Eggs. — Gould: Birds of Australia (1848), also 



Handbook vol. i.. p. 248 {1S65) ; Ramsay; Trans. Phil. Soc, 



N S. Wales, with fig, (1865), 



Geographical Bistrihutioii. — Australia in general. 



