1^5 NESTS AND EGGS OF AUSTRALIAN BIRDS. 



147. — Malurus lamberti, Vigors and Horsfield. — (191) 



VARIEGATED WREN. 



Figure. — Gould; Birds of Australia, fol., vol. iii., pi. 24 

 Reference. — Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., vol. iv., p. 292 

 Previous Descriptions of £^^s.— Campbell : Southern Science Record 

 (1883); Ramsay: Proc. Linn. Soc, N.S. Wales, vol, i., 2nd 

 ser., p. 1146 (1886): North: Austn. Mus. Cat., p. 113 (18S9). 



Geographirnl Diafri/mfirm. — Queensland, New South Wales, and 

 Victoria ( ?). 



Nest. — Ver}' similar to that of the Blue Wren (M. cyaneus). 



Eggs. — Clutch, three to fovu- ; nearly oval in shape ; texture of shell 

 very fine ; sirface glossy ; colour, wliite, with a few blotches or spots of 

 dull-red about the upper quarter. Dimensions in inches of a clutch : 

 (1) -65 X -48, (2) -64 x -48, (3) -63 x -47. 



Observations. — Gould was of the opinion that the Lambert Wren would 

 prove a more local species than the common Blue Wren. Its range is 

 Eastern Australia down to about the Sydney side, its place towards the 

 west being taken by M. puJrherrimus, to which it is nearly related, and 

 with which it may easily, and has probably been, confounded. I prociu-ed 

 ]\t . lamberti in the Big Scrub, New South Wales. 



The Variegated Wren is one of the few common birds of Australia 

 of wliich Gould was unable to find the nest. However, Dr. Ramsay fii-st 

 found it on the 16th September, I860, while the eggs in my collection 

 were taken by Mr. W. T. Bailey, in South Queensland, from a nest 

 prettily ensconced in ferns. Date, 24th November, 1888. A nest found 

 at Coomooboolaroo (Q.), with a full complement of eggs, September, 1886, 

 had one example pure white. 



The general breeding months are from September to December. 



148. — Malurus amabilis, Gould. — (192) 

 LOVELY WREN. 



Figure. — Gould : Birds of Australia, vol., supp , pis 21 and 22 

 Reference. — Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., vol. iv., p. 293. 

 Previous Description of Eggs. - Nil. 



Geographical Distribution. — Northern Territory and North Queens- 

 land. 



Nest. — Similar to those of the other members of the eenus. 



