XESTS AXD EGGS OF AU ST KALI A A' BIRDS. 555 



443. — Dacelu leachu (sub-spfcies) cekvina, Gould.-^(62) 

 D. uccideiitalis, Gould. 



FAWN-BREASTED KINGFISHER. 



figure. — Gould : Birds of Australia, fol., vol. ii., pi. 20. 

 Reference. — Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., vol. xvii., p. 207. 

 Previous Description of Eggs. — Le Souef : Ibis, p. 392 (1897). 



GeiKjrapliical DiMriliiitiuii. — West and North-west Australia, Nor- 

 tliuru Territory, and North Queensland. 



Xcst. — A hole excavated in termites' mound on a eucalypt, some- 

 times in holes or hollow spouts of trees — eucalypt, melaleuca, &c. 



Eggs. — Clutch, two to three ; round oval in shape ; texture of shell 

 fine ; sui'face glossy ; colour, pure white. Dimensions in inches of a 

 clutch: (1) 1-62 X 1-38, (2) 1-58 x 1-4, (3) 1-52 x 1-3. 



Observations. — Tlie Fawn-breasted Kingfisher is a dweller in the 

 more northern part of tlie Continent, from the region of the Gascoyne to 

 Cape York Peninsula. It is much smaller in size than either of the other 

 Jackasses, and by some authorities is deemed to be a sub-species only 

 of Leachii. The disposition of the Fawn-breasted bird is reported to 

 be more shy and wai-y than the familiar Jackass of more southern parts. 



Gilbert's observations are that it " inliabits well-wooded forests, 

 generally in pairs, is extremely shy, and difiicult to procure ; it is fond 

 of percliing on the toisniost dead branch of a tree, whence it can have 

 an uninteiTupted view of everything passing aroimd, and where it 

 pours out its loud discordant tones. Sometimes three or fom- pairs 

 may be heard at one time, when the noise is so great that no other 

 soimd can be heard. The natives assert that it breeds in the honey 

 season, which is the months of May, Jiuie, and July. From the dates 

 which follow I fear the blackfellows' theory about the laTOig months 

 must fall to the groimd. 



The eggs of the Fawn-breasted Kingfi,sher, first described by my 

 friend Mr. D. Le Souef, were taken in November, 1896. He says: — 

 " I noticed this bird on two or three occasions in the open forest 

 country near Cooktown, and found two of their nests, each of wliich 

 contained three eggs. Both nests wea-c hollows scooj>ed out in Ter- 

 mites' nests in eucalyptus trees, one about tliirty feet from the groimd 

 and the other fifty. The bii'ds themselves were shy, and it is astonish- 

 ing how quickly they hear anyone approacliing the tree where they 

 are sitting on their nest, and they frequently fly off before being seen." 



Mr. Han-y Barnard took a pair of eggs of this variety from the 

 hollow spout of a swamp gum (Eiir/ih/pfjis j at Pine Creek, Northern 

 Territory. 2.5th September. 1896, and another pair at Cape York, 

 9th November, 1896, this time in a paper-bark tree (Mehilcucn ). In 

 both instances the eggs were about a foot from the entrance of the 



