cifi NESTS AXD EGGS OF AUSTRALIAN BIRDS. 



Ei/<j>!. — Clutch, one ; elliptically inclined iu shape ; textmc fine ; 

 surface slightly glossy ; rich cream or stone-colour, very sparingly but 

 boldly marked with roundish blotches and spots of d^irk-pm-plc or 

 purplish-brown. Dimensions: (I) 1-59 x M4, (2) 1-57 x Ml. 



Ohsirriitii/iis. Tills night flier is beautifully spotted, but some- 

 what larger than the succeeding .sjxicies. Its I'ange is not so extensive, 

 being restricted chiefly to tlie eastern part of the Continent, where it 

 loves to dwell, as a rule, in heavily timbered tracts. The first egg of 

 the White-throated Nightjar' that came into my possession was a fine 

 specimen taken in the sciiibby countiy adjacent to Lake King, 

 Victoria. It was taken late in the season (January), and was the one 

 figured in my manual, " Nests and Eggs." Tlie second one was found 

 among tlic foot-hills of the Dandeuong Ranges, also in the same State. 

 Date, 20th October, 1886. 



Another in Mr. C. French, junr.'s collection was taken in the last- 

 named locality as late as 20tli January (1895). 



429. — EuROSToPus GUTT.VTUS, Vigor.^ and llorsfield. — (19) 

 E. argus, Hartert. 



SPOTTED NIGHTJAR. 



Figure. — Gould : Birds of Australia, fol., vol. ii., pi. 8. 



Reference. — Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., vol. xvi., p. 6o8. 



Previous Descriptions of Eggs. — Gould : Birds of Australia, Hand- 

 book, vol. i., p. 98 (1865) ; Ramsay : Proc. Zool. Soc, p. 581 

 (1875); Campbell: Nests and Eggs Australian Birds, pi. 1, 

 fig. 49 (1883) ; North : Austn. Mus. Cat., pi. 11, fig. 2 (1S89); 

 Le Souef : Victorian Naturalist, vol. xvi., p. 61 (1899). 



Geographical Diatributiun. — Whole of Australia; also Aru Islands 

 and New Ireland. 



Nest. — Anywhere upon the bare ground or in stony places in open 

 forest country. 



A7///X. — Cliitcii, one; elliptical or round oval iu form; textiue line; 

 surfiicc glossy ; light-yellowish or light-greenish stone colour, very 

 sparingly but usually distinctly marked with round blotches and spots 

 of dark piirplish-l)rnwn ; in some specimens, however, the markings are 

 duller in colour. Dimensions in inches of examples; (1) 1-39 x TO, 

 (2) 1-29 x 1-0. (Plate 16.) 



OhnervnlinnK. — Wherever there has been a collector in Australia 

 this beautiful nocturnal bird has been procured and identified. 



Although Gould reci'ived undoul)ted eggs of this Spotted Nightjar, 

 he found none jtersonallv. but records finding a newly-hat4hed young 

 one on the precise spot from wliiih he flusiied the old bird, lie describes 



