.\ESTS AXD EGGS OF AUSTRALIAN BINDS. 



323 



texture of shell fino, with surface slightly glossy ; colour, light greyish, 

 or light yellowish-white of a darker tone round tlie upper quarter, where 

 is freckled a zone of small spots of umber and dull slate, the latter colour 

 aa usual underlying the surface of the shell. Dimen.sions in inches of 

 two proper dutches: A (1) 1-02 x -7, (2) 1-01 x 78; B (1) -95 x -69, 



(2) -gsx^i. 



Ohservations. — 1 have enjoyed many cxcxirsions into the secluded 

 domains — some of them exceedingly romantic — of the Grey-tailed Thick- 

 head of Tasmania and some of the intermediate islands in Bass Strait. 



During my brief sojouni in Tasmania, 1883, 1 was fortunate in finding 

 three nests of this species ; the clutches were three, two, and two eggs 

 respectively, all fresh. The nests were taken on the 17th, 18th and 

 29th October, and were all heavier built than those of the other Thick- 

 heads I had been accustomed to find. On the lovely islets of Kent 

 Group, during a visit of the Field Naturalists' Club, we took nests of 

 this species. One bird — a female — we shot had a crossed bill. It was 

 remarkable how the creatiu-e coidd live and enjoy life with such a wiy 

 appendage. On a subsequent expedition to the Fiu'ucaux Group, when 

 scrambling do\vn one of the gi-anitc peaks of Flinders, we took a nest 

 with three eggs in a scnibby nook, being attracted to the locality by 

 the sweet voices of the Thickheads. 



With i-eferenee to the Grey-tailed Thickhead, a Tasmanian oologist, 

 Mr. A. E. Brent, kindly forwarded me the following memorandiuu : — 

 " This bird very rai-ely lays more than three eggs ; but I have taken 

 two or three nests containing foiu- eggs. On 7th October, 1893, I took 

 a nest from a low musk tree, in a gully at Austin's Fen-y, containing 

 four eggs. I also notice that the earliest laying birds only, or I should 

 say rarely, lay more than two eggs. " 



Mr. G. K. Hin.sby, another good field observer, found, as a rule, a 

 pair of eggs was laid during poor seasons. Tlic greater number, three, 

 (ho never found more), was taken when food was plentiful. 



Breeding months, October to December. 



262. — Pachycephala falcata, Gould. — (117) 

 P. pnJJida, Ramsay. 



NORTHERN THICKHEAD. 



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

 Rtfcrcncc. - Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., vol. viii., p 205. 

 Previous Descriptions 0/ Eggs. — Le Souijf; Ibis, p. 314 (189G); also 

 Victorian Naturalist, fig. (iSgfi), and vol. xvi,, p. 69 (iSgg). 



Geogrnjihicnl Distribution. — North-west Austraiia, Northern Ten 

 tory and North Queensland. 



