?:Esrs AXD EGGS Ol- AUSTRALIAN BIRDS. ^^ i 



388. — Artamus melanops, Gould. — (77) 

 BLACK-FACED WOOD SWALLOW. 



figure. — C'lould : Birds of Australia, fol., supp., pi. 7. 



Reference. — Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., vol. xiii., p. 17. 



Previous Descriptions of Eggs. — North: Proc. Linn. Soc, N..S. Wales, 

 vol. ii., 2nd ser., p. 405 (1887); also Austn. Mus. Cat., pi. S, 

 fig. ij (1SS9); Le Souef : Victorian Naturalist, vol. .\vi., p. 69 

 (1899). 



Genijrnplrical Dixtrihution. — Interior of Australia in general, except 

 Victoria. 



Xist. — A. round, open structiu-e ; composed of fibrous roots ; lined 

 inside with grasses, and placed in a low bush (North). 



Eijij.<. — Clutch, three to four; oval in shape; texture of shell fine; 

 surface glossy ; colour, buffy or pinkish-white, fairly blotched and 

 spotted all over with reddish-brown and duU-purplc. Dimensions in 

 inches of o"dd examples : (1) 88 x 64, (2) '87 x ■Q'2 ; of a proper clutch : 

 (1) -gx-ee, (2) -gx-es, (3) ■89x-64. Mostly resemble those of 

 A. cinereux, but are sometimes redder in colouration. 



OhservatiiiM. — Here again " Doctoi-s differ." Dr. Ramsay says ; 

 ■' After a careful examination of over fiity specimens from all parts of 

 Australia, I can find no valid reason for separating these birds 

 (A. ciiiereuii and A. melannps) ;'' while Dr. Sharpe holds that 

 -■1. melanops is a good species, and that it is " similar to .-1. cinereus, 

 but smaller; face with a greater amount of black on the sides, and 

 the imder tail coverts narrowly tipped with white. " 



The breeding months ma^ be included from September to Januaiy, 

 according to the season. 



389. — Artamus soedidus, Latham. — (73) 

 WOOD SWALLOW. 



Figure.— GimM : Birds of Australia, fol., vol. ii., pi. 27. 

 Reference. — Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., vol. xiii., p. 19. 



Previous Descriptions of Eggs. — Gould: Birds of Australia (184S); 

 also Handbook, vol. i., p. 145 (1865); North: Austn. Mus. 

 Cat., p. 42, pi. 8, fig. 14 (1889). 



Geof/raphica/ DUtrihutiun. — -Australia (except perhaps north), and 

 Tasmania, including islands in Bass Strait. 



