A'KSTS A.\'D EGGS OF AUSTRALIAN B/KDS. 



435 



Dimensions of a clutch in inches: (1) 1-28 x -87, (2) 1-26 x -88, 

 (3) 1-25 X -88. Three from another chitch of five, taken on Magnetic 

 Island, near Townsville, 1893, give ; (1) 1-24 x -91, (2) 1-22 x -91, 

 (3) 1-2 X -9. (Plate 15.) 



Ohservatinns. — This fine bird is restricted, as far as is known, to 

 Northeni Queensland, including the Gulf of Caqicntaria district, where 

 it represents the ordinary Friar Bird of southern latitudes. 



In 1893 Mr. D. Le Souef found the Helmeted Friar Bird numerous 

 in the Bloomfield River district, where it commenced nest building about 

 the end of October. He was presented with a splendid nest by 

 Mr. T. A. Gulliver, who oblained it from Magnetic Island, near Towns- 

 ville. This example, together with three eggs (there were originally 

 five), found their way into my collection. The nest seemed to have 

 been attached to mangroves. 



Mr. HarT\' Barnard, while collecting at Cape York, found many nests 

 with beautiful sets of eggs during the months of November, December, 

 and .Tanuary. 



365. — Philemon riTREor.ui..\T!i8, Gould. — (337) 

 YELLOW-THROATED FRIAR BIRD. 



Figure. — Gould : Birds of Australia, fol., vol. iv., pi. 6o. 



'Referenci. — Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., vol. ix., p. 277. 



Previous Descriptions of Eg^s. — Campbell : Southern Science Record 

 and Nests and Eggs Austn. Birds, pi. i, fig. 337 {1883); also 

 Proc. Austn. Assoc, vol. vii., p. 653 (iSqS) : North : ->\ustn. 

 Mus. Cat., p. 2ig (i88q). 



Gfogrnphicnl Distrihitfinn . — Northern Territory (?), Queensland, 

 New South Wales, Victoria, South and West Australia 



Nest. — Cup-shaped ; loosely constructed ; composed of grasses (dry 

 and green), fine twigs, wool, cocoons, &c. ; inside lined with fine, dry 

 grass ; usually suspended from a pendulous branch of a eucalypt, some- 

 times near or overhanging water, in open forest. Dimensions over all, 

 ^ inches bv 4 to 6 inches in depth ; e^g cavity, 3 inches across by 2^ 

 inches deep. 



Eqc/s. — Clutch, three to four, one instance five ; nearly oval in 

 form ; texture fine ; slight trace of gloss on surface ; colour, pinkish 

 or purplish-buff, indistinctly smudged or blotched with chestnut or 

 umber, and chiefly light purplish-brown. Dimensions in inches of 

 two taken from a clutch in Rivorina : (\) 1-09 x -77, (2) 1-07 x -76. 

 A clutch of three from Central Queensland are of a pinker coloured buff, 

 and more distinctly blotched and spotted with chestnut or reddish-brown 

 and purplish-brown: (1) M x •7.'i. (2) 107 x -76. (3) 1-05 x -75. 

 (Plate 15.) 



