434 NESTS AN 11 EGGS OF AV ST KALIAN BIRDS. 



tunity offers. I once killed such an infuiiated bird with a stick. Breeds 

 twice in a season, laying three to five eggs. Partly migratory. All 

 over the Darling Downs. Nests generally in October." 

 Breeding months August or September to December. 



363. — Philemon argenticeps, Gould. — (336) 

 SILVERY-CROWNED FRIAR BIRD. 



Figure. — Gould : Birds of Australia, fol., vol. iv., pi. 59. 

 Reference. — Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., vol. ix., p. 272. 



Geographical Distrihution . — North-west Australia, Northern Terri- 

 tory and North Queensland. 



Nest and Ef/ffs. — See Appendix. 



Observations. — As Gould points out, the Silvery-crowned Friar Bird 

 is somewhat inferior in size to tlic common species (P. cornini/afusj, 

 from which it may also be distinguished by the crown of the head 



bfing adorned with wcll-dofincd, small, lanceolate feathers. 



364. — Philemon buceroides, Swninson. — (335) 

 HELMETED FRIAR BIRD. 



Figure. — Gould : Birds of Australia, fol., supp., pi. 44. 

 Reference. — Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., vol. ix., p. 272. 

 Previous Descriptions of Eggs. — Campbell : Southern Science Record 

 (1883), also Proc. Austn. Assoc, vol. vii., p. 652 (1898). 



Geographical Distrihvtion. — Northern Territoiy and North Queens- 

 land. 



Nest. — Open, bulky, somewhat loosely constructed ; composed of 

 grass (including roots") and strips of mclalctica bark interwoven — in one 

 example is a rag and a piece of hay-band ; inside lined with long, pliable, 

 dark-coloured twigs ; usually suspended in a fork at the extremity of a 

 branch, in forest countrj'. Dimensions over all, 8 to 9 inches by 7 

 inches in depth ; b^^ cavity, 5 inches across by 3 inches deep. 



Eggs. — Clutch, three to four, occasionally five ; lengthened in fomi 

 or oval ; texture fine ; surface slightlv glossy ; colour, different from 

 those of the other known species of the genus, being pinkish-white, 

 boldly and beautifully blotched and spla.shcd, especially on the 

 larger end, with brownish-red and purple, the rest of the surface 

 or intervening spaces being minutely dotted with the same colours. 



