^^6 N/iSTS A.VD EGGS OF AUSTRALIAN BIRDS. 



Ou Ross Island (TownsviUe), 16th September, 1885, I found a pair 

 of bii-ds building a nest suspended about three or fom- feet from the 

 ground in a mangrove bush. The structuie appcai'ed nearly complete, 

 but although I watched it for five days till I left the locahty, no eggs 

 were laid; therefore, hke Mr. Rainbii'd, I had to leave without the 

 precious specimens. 



The beautiful little Sun Bird seems to love the vicinity of human 

 habitations : I learnt during my visit to Cardwell that a bird had buill 

 in the verandah of a dwelhng in that township, hanging its nest from 

 some creepers. Mr. K. Broadbent also mentions the confiding and 

 fearless disposition of the Sun Birds in nesting in gardens about that 

 townsliip. 



In the Catalogue of the Austrahan Museum similar interesting 

 instances ai-e recorded. Mr. Boyd, Herbert River district, writing 

 under date 31st December, 1889, therein states: — "We have on the 

 estate three houses with verandahs, and in each verandah a pair of 

 Sun Birds have built ; it is str'ange why this little bird should seek 

 man's society ; one pair has bred for years in a verandah nearly always 

 occupied by three children and four kangaroo dogs. One pair that for 

 the last two seasons has built by the side of the house came round to the 

 front door on the 23rd November and selected a piece of rope that 

 pidled up the bamboo verandah bhnd and began building. I at once 

 nailed the rope so that it could not be moved, and have since kept 

 them under observation. Their first proceeding was to cover the cord 

 for about eighteen inches with a layer of bark, cob-webs, moss, &c., 

 until it was about two inches in thickness; on the 28th the bottom of 

 the nest and the little verandah were begim, and with the sides were 

 almost completed the following day. On the 5th December I saw the 

 female on the nest ; on the 1 7th I looked in the nest and saw two eggs ; 

 on the 21st there were young ones. ' 



Mr. Boyd would have added much to the value of tliis interesting 

 note had he recorded the exact dates the two eggs were deposited, also 

 the duration of incubation. He subsequently stated that the young 

 left the nest on the 4th January, or forty-three days from the date of 

 the commencement of the nest. 



The eggs of the delightful little Sun Bird in my collection are from 

 the Bloomfield River district, where Mr. D. Le Souef found several 

 nests. One was biult witliin two feet of his bed-room door, and young 

 reared therein during his visit. On a later trip Mr. Le Souef obsei-ved 

 at Toolgoor a nest with two entrances which was built in a shed. 

 Somehow the cord wliich held the stnicture tiu'ned so that the opening 

 faced a gloating fence near. As the bii'ds when sitting could not see 

 about them or when any danger approached, and were unable to tiu^n 

 the nests, they made another opening on the opposite side. 



Breeding months September to January. 



