-U NESTS AXD EGGS 01- AVSTRALIAN BIRDS. 



Ohserrdfioii-^. — It is interesting to be able to include in the Aus- 

 tralian avifauna this Swiftlet, one of the builders of the long-famed 

 edible birds' nests of Chinese commerce. 



Spealung generally of the genus Volloculia, Air. llartert remarks 

 that the various species are remarkable for their interesting nests, 

 which are composed of moss or similar material agglutinated with sahva, 

 those wholly composed of the latter being the " edible nests. ' These 

 Swiftlets lay piu'e white eggs — it is believed the number is two, as a 

 rule — in nests situated in dark caves, where hundreds or rather 

 thousands are known to breed. 



We have read of the famous birds' nest caves at Gomanton, North 

 Borneo, where, if not the actual Edible-nest Swiftlet, a closely-allied 

 species assembles in thousands, and when in the evening a most 

 wonderful sight may be witnessed — columns upon columns of bats 

 wheeling out, and then a continuous stream of Swiftlets pouring in to 

 roost — Hawks and Kites taking up positions over the c<ives, and every 

 now and then swooping down into the living mass, generally securing 

 victims at each dash, the White-headed Sea Eagle showing a preference 

 for bats, leaving the Kites to take the Swiftlets. In the morning a 

 similar scene maj' be observed, only vice versn, the Bats incoming and 

 the Swiftlets outgoing. 



FAMILY— CAPliIMULGlD.<?i : GOAT SUCKERS. 



Sub-family — Capiiimulgin.s;. 



427. — Capiumiia;us mac1!Uuus, Horsficld. — (50) 

 LARGE-TAILED NIGHTJAR. 



Figure. — Gould : Birds of .Vustralia, fol., vol. ii., pi. y. 



KcfcretKe. — Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., vol. xvi., p. 537. 



Previous Descriptions of Eggs. — I'roc. Zool. See, p. 5S1 (1875); 

 Hume : Nests and Kggs Indian Birds (Gates' ed.), vol. iii., 

 p. 45 (i8go). 



(tfoi/ni iihictil /)l\trl'iiitiiiii.--yioi-i\\wi'fil Australia, Nortiii'rn Terri- 

 tory, Queensland and New South Wales; also Papuan Islands, Malay 

 Archipelago, Borneo, Cochin China, Siam, Malay Penin.sula. aiul 

 Tonasscrim. 



Nest. — Simply the bare ground in scrub or forest. 



^.'/.'/'•■.- -Clut<h, I wo usually ; elliptical in form; texture fine; surface 

 glossy; light, pinkish cream colour, f.iiiitiv or obscinily l)lol(lied and 

 spotted with ptn-plisli brown aiul dull ])urple or slate, the in;ukings being 

 more numerous about the upper qu.irter. Dimensions in inches of a 

 clutch : (1) 1-24 X ST, (2) 116 x -85. (Plate 16.) 



