464 



NESTS AA'D EGGS OF AUSTRALIAN BIRDS. 



(GralHiiaj. Dimensions over all, S',' to 4} inches 1iy 2 in depth; egg 

 cavity, 2 J inches across by 1 inch deep. 



Eggs. — Clutch, two to three, rarely foiir ; somewhat pyriform or 

 stout oval in shape ; texture of shell fine ; surface glossy ; colour, light 

 green ish-gi-ev, in some instances bufPv-white, mottled and clouded, chiefly 

 on or around the upper quarter. vMi umber and =late. Dimensions in 

 inches of a proper clutch: (I) -93 x -69. (2^ -Pl x -67, (.3> 9 x "7. 

 (Plate 15.) 



Ohservatiors. — This handsome bird may be generally described «e 

 dark-grey above, under parts inch dark chestnut, the dark-coloured head 

 being enhanced with a white stripe over either eye, hence the vernacular 

 name. Tlic female is easily disting^iished by her paler colours. In both 

 the eyes are dark, or nearly black, bill light-Mue at base, black at tip. 

 and feet leaden colour. Total length, 7 inches. 



As Gould correctly surmised, this Wood Swallow is naturally a 

 denizen of the great interior; but it wanders, or is partly migi-ator}', 

 according to the seasons. Protracted droughts may cause the birds 

 to move in flocks towaids the sea-board, rr perchance there may be 

 a cat.erpillar or locust plague in the south, when these most useful birds 

 follow in the wake of the destructive insect hordes. Tliis has been 

 frequently observer!. 



The most southeni limit of the Wliite-browed Wood Swallows is 

 Victoria, where they have often been found breeding on the timbered 

 shores of Port Phillip. However, they ^'isit Victoria at irregular 

 intervals. It would indeed have been an interesting record had some 

 enthusiastic field observer kept data of the visits of these fine birds to 

 tlieir most southern limit, and also ascertained at the same time the 

 climatic conditions prevailing in the far interior. It may not be too 

 late to commence now. 



I attach no small blame to myself that my notes on the subject are 

 somewhat few and scattered. About 1860 is my earliest i-ecollection 

 when the birds were in immense flocks about the timber belts of the 

 Wenibee plains. In 1865 (which wa.s the record year for small rainfall 

 in Victoria — 15'94 inche.s). there were swanns of these birds alx)ut the 

 parks in the vicinity of Melboiune. 



Mr. W^m. Clavton tells me they appeared in myriads in the Moorabbin 

 district in 1868. Another visitation occiu'red in 1870. There are three 

 other recoids at intervals of two years, when I foimd nests at Brighton 

 in 1888 (third place for low rainfall — 19'42 inches"), and in the Lake 

 Charm district in 1890 and 1892 ; but I could not state in either these 

 last two instances whether the birds came scuth of the Dividing Range. 



During the season 1892, I observed in the Benjeroop district, near 

 the Murray, that most of the birds commenced to build about the end 

 of the first week in November; while T noticed some nests with eggs 

 on the 10th of the same month. I particularly remember one nest, 

 prettilv situated in the fork of a fallen bleached dead branch. Wlien 

 I returned a day or two aftei-wards to take a photogi'aphic picture, lo ! 

 it was not there. I happened to be in the Murray district again at the 



