N/^STS AXD EGGS OF AUSTRALIAN BIRDS. 



313 



awake, half dreaming, in my lonely tent close behind the palm wold of 

 Cooyer scrub, I hear a fine, equal, oft-repeated note in the thieket. 

 as if heralding tlie golden sun, and which fills my heai-t with thankful- 

 ness to my great Creator. Tlie notes emanate from this dear httle 

 bird, which also sings its psiilm of praise to its Maker at early dawn 

 {EupsftJtria, the bird's generic name, literally means ' Psalm of dawn ' ). 



" The Yellow Shrike Robin builds a nest manufactiu'ed out of string- 

 like underbark. lined inside with diy glass and a few withered leaves 

 like those of the melaleuca, and usually situated in a three-pronged fork 

 of a small tree. Laj's two, rarely three, eggs, and is an early breeder. 

 Cooyer (South Queensland), October, 1883." It is just possible that Mr. 

 Lau's note may refer to the Yellow-rumped variety (E. rhrysorrlwn.iJ. 



Usual breeding months, September to December or January. In 

 its more northern habitat in mild winters it is said to commence 

 sometimes as early as June. I had through mv hands two clutches of 

 eggs taken in Queensland by Mr. W. B. Barnard in July, 1897. Two 

 and probably three broods are reared in a season Mr. G. E. Shepherd 

 reports the curious occuiTeuce of a double clutch — six eggs in a nest. 



In concluding the observations on the common Yellow Shrike Robin, 

 it may be here remarked that the bird figured in Gould (vol. iii., pi. ii.) 

 is referable to the succeeding species (E. chnjxorr/iniin), which differs 

 from the common species in having the rump of a bright yellow colour, 

 whereas E. austral in has the same part dull wax olive. Both sexes 

 are alike except that the male possesses the larger bill. 



Willi reference to Dr. Ramsay's doubtful species (E. iiioriiataj* 

 Dr. Gadow is of the opinion that the description is taken apparently 

 from a young or immatui'e bird of E. austra/is (?) obtained at Rocking- 

 ham Bay. However, Mr. C. W. De Vis of the Queensland Museum 

 says, " The validity of the species has been denied without sufficient 

 cause." Here is an interesting point for field observers to settle. 



254. EOPSALTRIA CHRYSORRHOUS, Gould. 



E. magnirostris, Ramsay. 

 YELLOW-RUMPED SHRIKE ROBIN. 



Figure. — Gould : Birds of Australia, fol , vol iii , pi 11. 

 Reference. — Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist. (ser. 4) vol iv , p 109. 

 Previous Description of Eggs. — Campbell ; Victorian Naturalist (1S98). 



Geographical Distribution. — Queensland and New South Wales. 



.Vf.s*. — Similar in shape and construction to that of E. austral ix, but 

 somewhat larger, and placed on the canes of a lawyer palm (Calamus), 

 in dense sci-ub. Dimensions of egg cavity, 2 J, inches across by 

 lA inches deep. 



■ Proc. Zoo S'jc. 1874, p. 604, 



