l6o NESTS AND EGGS OF AUSTRALIAN BIRDS. 



in colour ; lined inside with soft material — chiefly thistle-down — and usually 

 placed at or suspended from the end of a lawyer palm (CaJamua) branch 

 or leaf in dense scnib or forest. Total length, 11 inches (including tail, 

 4i inches) ; diameter in thickest part, 2| inches ; entrance, which is 

 situated about 3| inches from the extreme top, | inch across. 



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

 sui-face glossy ; colour, wliite, .speckled, cliiefly in the form of a belt roimd 

 the apex, with reddish-brown or chestnut and purjjle. Dimensions in 

 inches of a proper clutch : (1) -67 x -45, (2) -65 x -46, (3) -65 x -45. 



Observation-^. — The Brown Gei-ygone appears to possess a somewhat 

 limited habitat, being confined to the scrubs of the coastal region from 

 South Queensland to presumably Eastern Victoria. 



Almost the first nest Mr. W. T. Bailey and I together found during 

 oiu" trip to the Big Scrab, Richmond River district, was one of this modest- 

 coloured little Gerygone. Subsequently we found many, dangling 

 gi'acefuUy at the extremities of thorny spikes of climbing lawj'er palms 

 (Calamus) in the dai'k windings of the scnib. Some of tlie nests were 

 simply marvellous for shape and beauty, being lengthened and elegant in 

 form, with a small, cunningly -wrought, hooded entrance at the side, and 

 neatly composed of the most beautiful of rich emerald moss, deco- 

 rated fantastically nearly all over ^vith shields of festhetic-colourod lichen. 

 Within was cosiness itself. 



A nest I found of this species suspended in a tree gi'owing on the 

 margin of the Fitzroy River (Queensland), 2nd October, 1885, more 

 resembled that of the White-throated Fl)' Eater (G. alhigtiJaris), being 

 constructed of fine shreds of bark interwoven with a plentiful supply of 

 spiders' cocoons, and ornamented with wood insects' droppings. I flushed 

 this little bird from her pair of eggs, which were partly incvibated. Tlie 

 nest also contained an egg of the Bronze Cuckoo (C plagnsus). 



Breeding months usually September to December. The illustration, 

 " Nest of the Brown Fly Eater," shows a snug little liome swaying at the 

 end of a " lawyer " frond. 



134. PSEUDOGERYGONE L«VIGASTR.\, Gould. (159) 



BUFF-BREASTED FLY EATER. 



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

 Reference. — Cat. Birds Brit Mus., vol. iv . p. 223. 



Geographical Distribution. — North-west Australia, Northern Territory, 

 and Queensland. 



Nest and Eggs. — Undescribed. 



Observations. — According to Gould, Gilbert secured several specimens of 

 this Httle bird in the Port Darwin district, including the islands in Van 



