NESTS AND EGGS OF AUSTRALIAN BIRDS. 



331 



In tlio inoniiiig, Leithhardl Iniricd Gilbert, reading the Cluirch of 

 England sen'ice over his grave, and tlu n put his medical skill to use in 

 dressing the wounds of the rest of lus party. A river subsequently 

 discovered w;is named after the lamented naturalist, who, it may be traly 

 said, gave his life in the interests of Australian oniitliologj', to which 

 he himself had contributed so much original and tnithful knowledge. 



Although poor Gilbert's day darkened down with awful suddenness, 

 to be buried within the sweet scented shades of a melaleuca grove by 

 that lonely lagoon is a fitting resting-place for one — a hero, for tlu; 

 privations of that teniblc journey made all the party heroes — who had 

 performed such rare work in the Australian field. 



272. — Climacteris rufa, Gould. — (367) 

 RUFOUS TREE CREEPER. 



Figure. — Gould : Birds of Australia, lol , \ol i\. pi, 54. 

 Reference. — Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., vol. viii.. p. 335. 



Previous Dcscri/lums 0/ Eg^s. — Gould: Birds of Australia (1S48) ; also 

 Handbook, vol. i., p. 601 (1SG5) 



Geographical Distribution. — South, West, and North-west Australia. 



Xeat. — Very warm, of soft grasses, the down of flowei"s and feathers ; 

 made in the hollow part of a dead branch, generally so far down that it 

 is almost impossible to reach it (Gilbert). 



Eggs. — Clutch, three ; roundish in fonn ; texture of shell fine ; 

 sm-face slightly glossy ; colour, light pui-plish-biiff, clouded chiefly with 

 dull or light -purple and a few heavier spots and blotches of reddish- 

 brown ; however, in some examples the reddish-brown markings pre- 

 dominate. Dimensions in inches of odd examples : (1) '92 x -73, 

 (2) -88 X -72. 



Ohservntions. — Tliis is the western representative of ('. sraiidciu, to 

 which, as Gould points out, it is closely allied by its rolnxst form and 

 contour, but from which it is readily distinguished by the rufous 

 colouring of the plumage. Tlie Rufous Tree Creeper has been found 

 as far east as the Gawler Range. South Australia. 



I have a single example of the egg of the Rufous Tree Creeper, 

 which were taken near Mount Baker, West Australia, 1891, and I have 

 since examined several others. 



Gilbert wrote that the nest was difficult to find. One he dis- 

 covered by observing the Tree Creepers beating away a Wattle Bird 

 that tried to perch near the nesting hole. The nest was fortunately 

 within arm's length, and contained three eggs. This occurred diunng 

 the first week in October. 



Breeding months probably from September to December or 

 January. 



