^i;6 NESTS A,VV EGGS Ol- AUSTRALIAN BIRDS. 



380. rETllUUHELLUUN NIUKICANS, Vicillot. (55) 



TREE MAETIN. 



figure. — Gould : Birds of Australia, fol., vol. u., pi. 14. 



Rejerence. — Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., vol. x., p. 190. 



Previous Descriptions of Eggs. — Gould : Birds of Austruhii tit>4S) ; 



also Handbook, vol. i., p. 11^ (1S65); North: Austn. Mus. 



Cat., p. 32, pi. 13, tig. 14 (i8Sy). 



Geogra2>htcal Distribution.- — Whole of Australia and Tasiaaiiia ; aLso 

 New Zealand (casual). New Guinea, New Britain, Ai-u Islands and 

 Ke Islands. 



Nest. — A liollow-spouLed limb or liolu m au elbow of a tree, which is 

 usually lined with cucalypt leaves. Sometimes the Maitiu dis- 

 possesses other species of Swallows of their nest. 



Egys. — Clutch, three to live ; stout oval 111 shape, or elliptically 

 inclined ; textui-e of shell very tine ; surface glossy ; colour, pcarly- 

 wlute, but frequently finely speckled with pale-rufous spots. 

 Dimensions in inches of a clutch: (1) -7 x -ol, (2) -7 x -5, (3) -7 x -5. 

 (Plate 15.) A beautiful set taken in the Wimmera district are spotted 

 like those of Hirundo neoxenu. 



Ol/servations. — Like the preceding species, the Tree Swallow or 

 Martin is a common visitor in summer to the southern parts of Aus- 

 tralia and Tasmania. At the latter place they put in au appearance 

 early in September. I believe I noticed some of them flying high 

 in the Murray district in the middle of July, but whether they were 

 stragglers that remained to winter in that milder part of the mainland, 

 or were advance guards of spring, 1 could not state with certainty. 

 I rather lean to the first suggestion. However, the numbers 

 noticeably increase in August, when some commence to breed, others 

 iluring September and October, and probably rear two or more broods 

 before retiring northward again on the approach of autumn to tropical 

 AustraUa, and even to islands beyond. 



When the holes are numerous and convenient, several pans of birds 

 breed in the same tree. Regarding the Tree Swallow, Mr. John W. 

 Mellor thoughtfully sends the following interesting note from South 

 AustraUa: — "I have taken eggs from luider the Uttle bird. The nest 

 is composed of leaves of the red-gum (E. rostrata ), placed at the lower 

 end of a hollow limb. Failing to find a suitable hollow limb, I have 

 known the birds to cany leaves and place them on the wall caps under 

 the eaves of sheds or liouses. I have also found this little Swallow tuni 

 the Welcome Swallow from out its nest, build the nest higher up with 

 mud, so as to make the aperture smaller, and refurnish it with leaves. 

 I have watched Tree Swallows enclosing the mouth of a hollow limb 

 if it is larger than required to admit their bodies. This is probably 



