484 NESTS A\D EGGS OF AUSTRALIAN BIRDS. 



quit the nest, but are attended afterwards by their respective parents, 

 and on joining a flock are promiscuously fed by any bird. Young and 

 fresh eggs have been found in the same nest, proving that the nest is 

 re-used. Mr. T. Hurst, Caulfield, tells me that some Chestnut-eared 

 Finches, hatched in his a^^ary in November, laid eggs the March 

 following. No wonder these little birds are occasionally seen in such 

 prodigious numbers. 



Mr. Tom Carter reports from North-west Australia that the 

 Chestnut-eared Finch, like many other species of birds, lays after a 

 good rain. The same applies to Northern Queensland and the far 

 interior, for Mr. Price Fletcher records that Finches (generally) build 

 during August and September, and hatch a small brood, then cease 

 laying till the Christmas rain begins. Still, he goes on to say, they 

 are uncertain, for they were then (beginning of June) breeding in 

 numbers in the Port Curtis district. 



Respecting the Chestnut-eared Finch in the Report of the Horn 

 Scientific Expedition to Central Austraha, diuing the winter of 1894, 

 Mr. Keartland states: — "At Dcvonport Creek nine nests (three with 



eggs) were found in one small bvish Other nests were 



found in gi-ass tussocks and prickly ' nigger-head,' and at Alice Springs 

 one was built on a shelf inside a blacksmith's shop." 



Again, duiing the historical and hazardous Calvert Expedition, when 

 two of the explorers succumbed to the tciTors of the North-west desert, 

 perishing from thirst, Mr. G. A. Keartland manfully managed to 

 make obsei-vations and record notes of the birds, although he was forced, 

 on account of the risk of life, to abandon his specimens in the desert. 

 He wiites : — " These little birds had a peculiar share in our interest, 

 as their presence in numbers is a pretty good indication of the prox- 

 imity of water. Wherever rock-holes or wells containing water were 

 found immense flocks of these birds were seen. They seem to possess 

 an insatiable thii-st, and will alight in flocks to drink close to where 

 men are working. Wheu we were baling water for the camels they 

 frequently perched on the sides of the chshes to drink. I am strongly 

 of opinion that they possess the ability to scent water, as on several 

 occasions during the hot days of April, flocks perched on the trees 

 under which we were enjoying the mid-dav halt, and were not easily 

 scared, but kept hopping on the water casks and near the pannikins 

 containing hot tea. Although constantly chased by my dog, they 

 simply evaded the attack, and as soon as allowed di-ank from a tin of 

 water placed for them. At one rock-hole, passed soon after leaving 

 Lake Way, they were in such numbers as to pollute the water with 

 their droppings. They were found from Mullawa to the Fitzroy River. 

 In some cases three or four nests containing fresh eggs were found on 

 one bush. They build in all sorts of places, nests being found in the 

 tall desert gums, in holes in hollow logs, on low bushes, or on the 

 groimd imder the low-spreading saltbush. They often start laying as 

 soon as the foundation of the nest is placed in position, and keep on 

 building and la^-ing luitil both operations are finished. Tlie material 

 used is invariably dry gi-ass stems. Tlie bii-ds seek the shelter of their 

 nests at night, even after their broods are hatched. Notwithstanding 



