5go NESTS AND VGGS OF AUSTRALIAN BIRDS. 



When in North-west Australia, with the Calvert Expedition 

 (1896-7), Mr. G. A. Kcai'tlaud observed that: — "At tlie approach of 

 the tropical rain in Januai-y the iSnjfhrnps made its appearance in the 

 early morning, always coming from the west and going east. Their loud 

 notes, which they utter when flying, were always noticed by the Crows 

 at our camp, which at once assembled and attacked the intrader. Then 

 a battle royal ensued. Two or more Crows attacked simultaneously, 

 ■ and the shai-p snap of theii' bills might be heard for some distance. 

 Wlien the Channel Bill was chased for about a mile the Crows retmnied 

 to theu" qtiarters. On Moimt Campbell a pair of Scyfhrops frequently 

 resorted to a fig-tree to feed. I shot the female on 3rd March, and 

 found the stomach full of figs. The ovaries were well developed, and 

 contained three yolks, varying in size, one being as large as a small 

 cheri-y, the other two slightly less. Near the Margaret River, the 

 natives took two young ones from a Cl'ow's nest near the homestead, 

 which the Srythrnps had frequently visited. They are locally known 

 as ' Stomi Birds.' " 



Mr. R. J. N. BiuTowes infomis me he has seen several Channel 

 Bills reared about station camps, in Queensland. The big Cuckoos 

 become veiy domesticated, feeding on scraps of meat, but generally 

 foraging a good deal on their own account. One at StrathcLan-, with 

 its ^ving clipped, roamed about at will. It never went more than one 

 hundred yards from the camp, and always returned to its cage at night. 



Sub-family — Centropodin*. 



4B2. — CENTRorus phasianu.s, Latham. — (.'JSS to .'590) 

 C. macrourus, Gould. 

 C. melanurus, Gould. 



COUCAL. 



Figure. — Gould : Birds of Australia, fol., vol. iv., pi. 92. 



Reference. — Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., vol. xix., p. 3.(0. 



Previous Dtscriplions of Eggs. — Ooiild ; Birds of .'Vustralia (18.(8), 

 also Handbook, vol. i., p. 635 (1865) ; North : Austii. Mus. 

 Cat., p. 250 (iSSy), also Rec. Austn. Mus., vol. ii., p. 17 (1892) ; 

 Campbell : Victorian Naturalist (1898). 



Geographical Dutrihution. — North-west Australia, Northern Terri- 

 tory, Queensland, and New South Wales. 



Nest. — Large, covered, with an opening at cither end ; composed of 

 dried gras.scs, sticks, &c. ; lined inside with loaves, and usually placed 

 in tussocks of coarse gra.ss, but sometimes among the lower leaves of 

 the screw palm (Pandanux), in a low thick bush, or in a deserted nest 

 of a Babbler ( Puinaforliiiius). 



