NESTS AND EGGS OP AUSTRALIAN BIRDS. 157 



River, and dated 1855. It is somewhat singular that the bird has not 

 since been re-discovered, especially by collectors who have visited the 

 mainland opposite to New Guinea. 



130. — PSEUDOGERYGONE CULICIVORA, Goilld. — (157) 



SOUTHERN FLY EATER. 



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

 Reference. — Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., vol. iv., p. 220. 

 Previous Description 0/ Eggs. — Campbell : Proc. Roy. Soc, Vict., vol. iii., 

 p. 3. pi. I, fig. 3 (1890). 



Geographical Distribution. — New South Wales, Victoria, South and 

 West Australia. 



Nest. — Suspended by the top to the extremity of a branch; composed 

 of shreds of bark, small spiders' nests, gi-een moss, &c., all felted together 

 with cob-webs and vegetable fibres, and warmly lined with featliers ; 

 it is about 8 inches in length, pointed at the top and bottom, and about 

 3 inches in diameter ; the entrance is a small hole about 3 inches from the 

 top, with a slight projection immediately above it (Gould). 



Eggs. — Clutch, three ; nearly oval in shape ; texture of shell fine ; 

 surface slightly glossy ; colour, waiin or pinkish-white, spotted and blotched 

 or splashed with rich chestnut or reddish-brown and purplish-brown, 

 the markings being thickest on the apex. Dimensions in inches of a 

 clutch : (1) -65 X -47, (2) -63 x -46, (3) -63 x -46. 



Observations. — I became acquainted with this musical little bird in 

 Western Australia, to whicji tcrritoiy it was supposed to be restricted, 

 but I have since discovered the species in the interior of Victoria and 

 Riverina, New South Wales. 



The bii-d possesses a wavy, lackadaisical song, which is very pleasing, 

 and quite unlike any other bird's that I know. In Western AustraUa 

 the Southern Fly Eater appears to appreciate the more open tracts of 

 forest. During September, 1889, a nest containing three eggs was 

 collected for me from the topmost branches of a peppermint-tree ( Agonis), 

 at Quindalup. Geogi-aphe Bay. Before I reached the locality on my 

 western tour, two of the set were unfortunately broken. However, 

 I seciued another set (three) at Coogee, near Fremantle, during the same 

 month (September). 



The Southern Fly Eater in Victoria and Riverina seems partial to the 

 " box " ( Eucah/ptux) flats and pine ridges. I first noticed it at Benjeroop, 

 Victoria, where I shot a specimen in December, 1890. As the birds are 

 diminutive and .seek the topmost branches of a tree, they are not easily 

 detected, but may be found at times by their peculiar song, winch is 

 emitted at ion? intervals. 



