IVESfS AND EGGS OF ACSf/iAUAX BIRDS. jj^ 



Observations. — This species of Nightjar particularly possesses an 

 intertropical habitat, which extends to many extra-Austrahau localities. 

 Perhaps Dr. Ramsay would kindly cnhghten us as to what proofs ho 

 has for showing the range of the Large-tailed Nightjar so far south as 

 Victoria, South Austraha and Western AustraUa. 



It is true that Gilbert took the species, but it was most probably on 

 his trip to Port Essington, where Gould states the birds were 

 " moderately plentiful." Gilbert also saw a young bird apparently only 

 a few days old, which he found lying under a shrubby tree without 

 any nest or even a blade of gi'ass near it. The little creature was so 

 similar in colour to that of the ground upon which it was lying that it 

 was with diflicxilty detected, and Gilbert wa.s only induced to search 

 for it from the peculiar manner in which the old bird rose, the 

 reluctance it evinced to leave the spot, and its hovering over the place 

 it had risen from. 



Dr. Ramsay wa« indebted to Inspector Robert Johnstone for a pair 

 of eggs of the Large-tailed Nightjar, which were found on the ground 

 on the side of a ridge near the Herbert River, Queensland. A little to 

 the north of the same locahty, ten years subsequently (1885), I had 

 some experience of this interesting nocturnal species, but did not 

 succeed in procuring its eggs. I was on a collecting torn-, pleasantly 

 encamped with Messrs. Alfred and Frank Coles and Arthur Gulhver, 

 on Meuanger or Saltwater Creek, near Cardwell. We also shot one 

 flushed from the ground on Hiucliiubrook Island, 17th September. 



I received a splendid pair of eggs (the number usually laid, and not 

 fom- as stated by others) from Mr. D. Le Souef's collection. On liis 

 return to the coast, after his ascent of Mount Peter Botte, North 

 Queensland, Mr. Le Souef mentions his jsarty flushed a Lai'ge-tailed 

 Nightjar from the gi'ound close to the track, whei'e, without a nest of 

 any kind, the bird was sitting upon two eggs. 



The eggs of the Large-tailed Nightjar are sometimes found as early 

 as August, the breeding season continuing to December or January. 



428. — EuKOSTOPUS ALBiGULAius, Vigors and Horsfield. — (48) 

 WHITE-THROATED NIGHTJAR. 



Figure. — Gould : Birds of .Vustralia, fol., vol. ii., pi. 7. 



Reference. — Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., vol. .xvi., p. 607. 



Previous Descriptions of Eggs. — Ramsay : Proc. Zool. See, p. 5S1 

 (1875) ; Campbell : Nests and Eggs Austn. Birds, add. pi. 3, 

 tig. 48 (1883) ; Ramsay : Proc. Linn. Soc, N.S. Wales, 2nd 

 ser., vol. i., p. 1142 (1886); North: Austn. .Mus. Cat., pi. 11, 

 fig. 3 (1889). 



Geagraphiral Di-itrihution. — Queensland, New South Wales, Vic- 

 toria, and South AustraUa ; also New Guinea. 



Nest. — Simply the bare ground in forest country. 



