274 



NESTS AND EGGS OF AUSTRALIAN BIRDS. 



members of the genus. Dimensions in inches of a pair: (1) -98 x -69, 

 (2) -97 X -67. 



Ohservution^. — This well-defined species of Babbler would appeal- 

 to be restricted to the interior of New South Wales, Victoria, and 

 South Australia. 



I found the bii'd somewhat plentiful in the Moulamein district of 

 Riverina, where it seemed entirely to take the place of P. superciJiosus. 

 It was somewhat early for eggs, although I searched many nests which 

 were securely built into the close branches of pines. 



The examples of eggs in my collection are, curiously enough, from 

 a set of twelve taken from one nest on 15th May, 1887, at Cooper's 

 Creek, where the natives call the bird " PiiTygillgillie." Tlie nest was 

 the usual large twiggy stnictm-e lined with wool. 



223. POMATORHINUS RUBECULUS, Gould. (293) 



RED-BREASTED BABBLER. 



Figure. — Gould : Birds of Australia, fol., vol. iv., pi. 21. 



Reference. — Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., vol. vii., p. 421. 



Previous Descriptions of Eggs. — Masters: Proc. Linn. Soc, N.S. Wales, 

 vol. ii., p. 273 (1878); Ramsay: Proc. Linn. Soc, N.S. Wales, 

 vol. vii., p. 46 (1882) ; Campbell ; Southern Science Record {18831: 

 Le Souef: Victorian Naturalist, vol. xvi , p. 67 (1899). 



Geographical Distribution. — West and North-west Australia, Nor- 

 thern Territory, Queensland, and Central Australia. 



Nest. — Similar in every respect to that of P. temporalis, being 

 large, dome-shaped ; outwardly composed of sticks, and lined inside 

 with soft gi'ass, &c. 



Eggs. — Clutch, three to five ; inclined to oval in shape ; texture 

 of shell fine ; siurface glossy ; colour, buffy, clouded with brownish-grey 

 and streaked or marbled with hair-like lines of blackish-brown. 

 Exactly similar to those of P. temporalis. Some sets liave a rufous- 

 brown shade. Dimensions in inches of a proper clutch: (1) l-13x-7, 

 (2) 1-12 X -7, (3) 1-07 X -71, (4) 1-04 x -7. 



Observations. — -As Gould remarks, this bird is numerously dispersed 

 over the northern parts of Australia, where it takes the place of 

 P. temporalis, from wliieh it differs but Little either in size or coloiu-ing ; 

 its slightly smaller dimensions and the reddish hue of its breast are, 

 however, characteristics by which it may be distinguished from the 

 more southern bird. The Horn Scientific Expedition found the Red- 

 breasted Pomatorhinus, or Babbler, recently (1894) in Central Aus- 

 tralia, while the Calvert Expedition afterwards observed in West 



