242 



NESTS ANV TICGS OF ACSTRALIAN BIRDS. 



gun, and retrieving a small bird, placed it in nij' hand. It was none other 

 than the Arantliiza ( Acdntlujniia) inantui. 



The skin was loaned for inspection, at the request of the curator, to 

 the Australian Museum, Sydney, and is now in the private collection of 

 a friend, Mr. Joseph Andrews, Melbourne. 



Tlic original description of the egg of the Scnib Tit, which appeared 

 in my manual, was furnished to me by the Rev. H. T. Hidl, an observing 

 naturalist in Tasmania, while the eggs in my cabinet are direct from tke 

 collection of that field enthusiast, Mr. G. H. Hinsby, formerly of Hobart, 

 who also kindly supplied me with descriptions and situations of various 

 nests found by him. 



I quote one of his notes, 1887:— "I carefully avoided a particular 

 locality on account of its being full of high trees, too high I thought for 

 A. magna; but one morning I chanced to return home through the place 

 in question and foimd two nests of A. magna, both with young just 

 hatched, high up in the tea-tree — a good climb. In fact, I should never 

 have looked so high, as I have always foimd their nests low, almost within 

 reach from the ground." 



October and November are the months when the Scnib Tit usually 

 nests. 



195. — Pyerhol«mus (Sericornis) brunnea, Gould. — (235) 

 RED THROAT. 



Figure. — Gould: Birds of Australia, fol., vol. vii., pi. 68. 



Reference. — Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., vol. vii., p. 302. 



Previous Descriptions of Eggs. — Ramsay : Proc. Linn. See, N.S. Wales, 



vol. vii., p. 49, pi. 3, fig. 8 (1882) ; North: Austn. Mus. Cat. 



pi. 9, fig. 15 (1889). 



Geographical Di.itribution. — New South Wales, Victoria, South, West, 

 and North-west Australia. 



Ne.^t. — Similar to that of a Mahtrus (Wren) ; composed wholly of grasses 

 loosely thrown together without being interwoven more than necessary 

 to keep them in their place ; Uned inside with hair or fur. Usually 

 placed on its side among the twigs of a small bush with grass growing 

 through its branches near the ground and liidden by the grass. Dimensions 

 5 inches in diameter by 3J inches across outside. There is no hood over 

 the opening (Ramsay). 



Eggit. — Clutch, tluxe to four ; short or stout oval in shape ; texture 

 of shell fine ; surface glossy ; coloiu", olive-brown or purplish-buff in belts 

 of a darker shade as the larger end is approached. In some examples, 

 instead of belts there appear dark indistinct markings. Dimensions in 

 inches of a proper clutch: (1) -75 x -55, (2) -7 x -Sfi, (3) -GGx-Bl; odd 

 examples: (1) -72 x -56, (2) -72 x -56. (Plate 11.) 



