X/iSrS AND EGOS Ob Al SI KALIAN BIRDS. 



421 



Tasnuiiiia is a nioio robust bird and larger iu cvci-y respect than the 

 same species found on the maiuhuid. 



General breeding months arc from July or August to January ; 

 but it hivs been noticed iu Queensland when some of the birds built 

 early, iu July or August, ouly one or a pair of eggs are laid, as against 

 a clutch of tluee or foui' hiid when the season is more advanced and 

 there is a great supply of food. Yoiuig Winers have bien seen in the 

 nest on the Pai-oo, New South Wales, as late as April ; again in Mai'ch 

 (1898), a nest containing three eggs was noticed. 



Mr. Lau discovered at Warroo (Queensland), a " poor soldier " 

 hanging dead, having been strangled with a long horse-hair, which the 

 bird hatl been evidently conveying to its nest. 



Tins Miner's nest is sometimes a reccpt;u-le for the smaller, ilesh- 

 coloiu-ed egg of the Pallid Cuckoo (Uuculu^ pallidus). I have never 

 been fortunate enough myself to discover the strange egg in tiie Miner's 

 nest, but have seen several examples that were taken from such 

 receptacles in the Ararat district. 



The young of the garrulous Miner assume the adult colouring from 

 tlio nest. In 1891, Mr. C. F. Belcher found a Miner's nest near the 

 groimd, built in long grass and bracken — a somewhat unusual site. 



352. Myzanth.v (Manouhina) obscuka, Gould. — (354) 

 DUSTY MINER. 



Figure. — Gould : Birds of Australia, fol., vol. iv., pi. 77. 



Kefirence. — Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., vol. ix., p. 260. 



Previous Descriptions of Eggs. — Gould: Birds of Australia (1S48); 



also Handbook, vol. i., p. 577 (1S65) ; Campbell : I'roc. Austn. 



As=oc., vol. vii., p. 640 (iSg8). 



Geoijra phu-al Dintrihution. — South and West Australia. 



Xenl. — Cup-shaped; composed chiefly of dead twigs, lined inside with 

 soft grasses, feathers, &c., and usually situated amongst the topmost 

 forked branchlcts of small trees or saplings. 



J^'J'J'^- — Clutch, three to four ; oval inclined in form ; texture 

 fine ; surface slightly glossy ; colour rich salmon or rich reddish- 

 bulT, obscmely marked with rich reddish-brown or chestnut and dull 

 pui1)lish-brown, fonning a patch round the apex ; resemble those of 

 .1/. fldritjitlii, both being altogether different from tiic well-known eggs 

 of M. ;/rirrii/(i. Dimensions in inches: (1) To x -73, (2) 104 x -77. 

 (Plate 14.) 



Another paii- taken at Broomhill, November, 1889, are somewhat 

 roimd, exceedingly rich in colouring — one example, contrary to the rule, 

 being darkest on the smaller end : (1) -94 x -74, (2) -92 x -74. 



