NESTS A.\D EGGS OF AU ST HA LI AN BIRDS. 



171 



Nest. — Resembles in construction and situation those of the other 

 interior species of the genus. 



Eygs. — Clutcli, three to four; oval in shape, bhint; textm-e of shell 

 very fine ; siu-faco glossy ; colour, wliite, with a slight pinkish tinge, finely 

 freckled, and especially round the apex, with reddish-brown. Dimensions 

 in inches of a proper clutch : (1) 67 x '49, (2) -65 x -48. (3) -64 x -49. 



Observations. — Of this superb and exquisitely-dressed interior dweller 

 Dr. Ramsay rem;u-ks : — "This Wren, one of the largest species described 

 by Mr. Gould, is far from rare in the interior, my brother, Mr. James 

 Ramsay, having no difficulty in obtaining as many specimens as I required 

 during one season, both of nests and eggs, with the birds shot therefrom." 



This bird greatly resembles the Black-backed Wren, but may be dis- 

 tiuguishod from it by the Lighter-coloured (tui-quoise) blue coat. However, 

 the darker blue upon the chin and tiiroat is the same in both kinds. 

 Some of the desert or more western bii'ds have a still lighter-coloured 

 turquoise-blue head and mantle, the shade exactly figuied in Gould. An 

 interesting question arises here. To which species (Mehmotus or 

 Calhiiiiux ) does the intermediate coloiu'ed bird belong/ If to neither, 

 then there is a third variety, or Mehinotun and ^'dU/i/rius must be united. 



For the knowledge of the existence of this most lovely species, Gould 

 w;is indebted to the late Mr. S. White, of Rcedbeds, near Adelaide, who 

 informed him that he was under the impression it was a new species the 

 moment he saw the first example, and was therefore induced to shoot and 

 skin eight or ten others of both sexes, all of which, with the exception of 

 two males, Mr. White had the misfortune to lose in crossing Spencer 

 Gulf. The Ijirds were procured in the saltbush countiy, about three 

 hundred or four hundred miles north-west of Adelaide. Gould proceeds 

 further to state that, in Mr. White's experience, the males were very shy, 

 and those secured were obtained by a kind of ruse, namely, by Mr. White 

 placing liis hat on the gi'omid and hiding himself among the bushes until 

 curiosit}' prompted the beautiful birds to examine the unusual object. 



By a strange and, to me, most pleasing coincidence, Mr. W. White 

 (brother of the late Mr. S. White, mentioned by Gould) kindly sent for 

 my collection two clutches of Tiu-quoise Wrens' eggs (one accompanied by 

 a male bird) taken near Port Augusta, South Australia, December, 1883, 

 and August, 1895, respectively. 



The liistory of the type specimens collected by Mr. Wliite is sm-- 

 rounded with thrilling interest. The collector went specially after 

 Elihthianurce (both the red and yellow varieties, and seciured specimens 

 of each kind) when he made the discovery of the beautiful Turquoise 

 Wren. Somehow, on the return journey (at the head of Spencer Gulf), 

 the boat he was using with a make-shift sail .of a blanket capsi2ed in a 

 squall. Guns, ammunition, and all specimens were lost in the sea, except 

 a small box containing the Wren skins, which Mr. White had presence of 

 mind to snatch up, and, after swimming and floating with it for nearly 

 tlu-ee miles, he reached the shore in a terribly exhausted condition. 

 Taking into consideration the adventure and discovery, had I been Gould, 

 I think I should have called the new bird .Vn/iirus wliitei. 



