568 



NESTS AXD EGGS OF AUSTRALIAN BIRDS. 



times they flew away, but returned to it again, and, from their actions. 

 I feel convinced tliat they were feeding it, altliougli, much to my 

 regret, I was unable to obtain a view sufficiently close to wake sui'c 

 of the fact." 



I mav mention, in reference lo the throwing-out busmess, some 

 persons suppose that the Cuckoo throws out an egg or eggs of the 

 foster-parent to make room for its own. This has not been proved 

 with regard to the Palhd Cuckoo — indeed, it has been dispi-oved by 

 the fact that the Cuckoo's egg is frequently deposited first, or even 

 before the nest is completed, and that full clutches of the foster-bird's 

 have been taken together with the Cuckoo's egg. On the other hand, 

 it is probable that some of the foster-birds throw out Cuckoos' eggs. 

 When taking a 'White-shouldered Catei-pillar Catcher's (Lahnje triaihjr) 

 nest at Somerville, with Mr. Shepherd, we found a broken egg of the 

 Pallid Cuckoo miderneath upon the ground — circumstantial evidence, 

 I think, that the egg had been deposited by the Cuckoo in the Cater- 

 pillar Catcher's nest, but Mr. Shepherd has seen a Caterpillar Catcher 

 feeding a young Palhd Cuckoo. 



451. — Cacumantis flabelliformis, Latham. — (379) 

 FAN-TAILED CUCKOO. 



Figure. — Gould : Birds of Australia, fol., vol. iv., pi. 86. 



Reference. — Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., vol. xix., p. 266. 



Previous Descriptions of Eggs. — Gould : Birds of Australia (1848) , 

 also Handbook, vol. i., p. 619 (1S65) ; Ramsay: Proc. Zool. 

 Soc, p. 359 (1865I ; Campbell ; Nests and Kggs .Vustn. Birds, 

 pi. 2, fig. 379 (1883), also Victorian Naturalist (1897) ; Lucas : 

 Victorian Naturalist (1884); North: Austn. Mus. Cat., pi. 13, 

 fig. 7 (18S9). 



Gi-(iijnii)liical Distribution. — 'Whole of Australia and Tasmania. 



Egyx. — Stout oval in shape ; texture of shell fine ; surface 

 glossy ; colour, dull white, very minutely freckled with chestnut and 

 piuplish-brown, and with a distinct band of the same character of 

 markings round the upper quarter. Dimensions in inches : (1) '86 x -56, 

 (2) -85 X -62. (Plate 17.) Two eggs from the scrub of the Richmond 

 River (N.S.W.) arc pearly wliitc, more blotched, with umber and light 

 pui-plc: (1) -81 x-G, (2) -Sx-SS. 



Ohncrvdfioiis. — The Fan-tailed or Ash-coloured Cuckoo is .similar in 

 figure to the Pallid, but smaller in size. It possesses a dark grey or 

 slate-coloured coat, with Uic underneath parts brownish, especially 

 about tho chest. Tail irregularly barred with white. Bill black, except 

 the base of the lower mandible, which is orange. Eyes dark brown, 

 surrounded by beautiful eyelashes of citron-yellow; feel ligiit olive. 



