314 



XESTS AW tuGS 01- AVSTRALIAK BIRDS. 



Eg(j!<. — Clutch, two to three ; roundish iu form, sometimes oval ; 

 textui-c of shell fine ; surface slightly glossy ; colour, light gi-eyish- 

 green, minutely spotted and splashed all over, thickest round the apex, 

 with reddish-brown or chestnut and purplish-brown. 



Another pair is more oval, hght green in colour, and not so 

 minutely spotted, the markings being more blotched in cliaracter, and 

 similar to those of the common Yellow Robin, E . aumtra/is. Dimensions 

 in inches: (1) -9 x -64, (2) -89 x -65. Of a full clutch: (l)-86x-64, 

 (2) -85 X -66, (3) -83 x -66. 



Observations. — Eopsaltria clirysorr/ious, or the Yellow-rumped 

 Shrike Robin, is a beautiful and more northern variety of E. auatraUs. 

 Gould desciibes E. chrysnrrhuu>< as "rather larger than E. australi-i 

 and is similar in colour, except that the rump as well as the breast is 

 of a beautiful jonquil yellow." This is the species figured in the folio 

 edition of " Birds of Australia." vol. iii., pi. ii., and is not the common 

 Yellow Shiike Robin, E. tiiisfralis, so familiarly known to us in southern 

 forests, which has the upper tail coverts dull greenish (wax) yellow, 

 and not bright yellow as in the other variety. However, reference to 

 the British Museum " Catalogue " will show that these birds are bunched 

 as one. Australian workers and field omithologists, at all events, ai-e 

 hardly prepared to accept that verdict. There are two species 

 undoubtedly. 



Gould remarks that " the validity of this species depends upon 

 whether the two sexes are aUke in having the rump of a jonquil yellow." 

 This I have proved by obtaining a mated pair, and further proved, as 

 in the case with E. auatn/lis the male is the possessor of a much larger 

 bill. Therefore, I think. Dr. Ramsay s E. mngnirostris must sink as 

 a synonym. In any case, as the names were published simultaneously, 

 that of the senior authority (Gould) takes precedence. 



According to Dr. Ramsay's " Tabular List, " his variety mar/irostris. 

 I.e. chry!<(irrhuus, is foinid in the coastal regions of Queensland; but if 

 this species hold good, which it apparently does, the sub-tropical 

 scrubs of New South Wales should be added to its habitat. In the 

 Big Scrub of the Richmond River district, November, 1891, I 

 obsei-ved one or two pairs of tliis bird, and succeeded in finding a nest, 

 which was situated on a lawyer palm (Calamux) and contained two 

 eggs. One imfortimately got broken in transit to Melboiu-ne. How- 

 ever, I have since received several sets of eggs from JNIr. H. R. Elvery, 

 while my son brought me a pair (male and female) of birds from the 

 same locality. 



Mr. Elvery has fm-nished me with tlie following interesting field 

 note: — "On the 17th September (1898) I found a nest containing a 

 single egg of this species, time about 4 p.m. I visited the nest at noon 

 on the 19th, expecting to take the usual set of 2, but to my sui'prise 

 found the nest contained foiu- eggs ! The eggs are of two entirely 

 different types — a pair of each type — and remarkably distinct in shape 

 and markings. Evidently the eggs have been laid by two birds. The 

 nest was placed in the usual site — on a lawyer vine in the angle formed 



