;5o 



NESTS AND EGGS OF AUSTEALIAN BIRDS. 



jVenf. — Somewhat shallow, constructed of portions of rushes and 

 covered with fine grass, and situated on the gi'ouud in swamp}* situations. 

 Dimensions, about 2^ inches across by 1§ inches deep inside. 



Eggs. — Clutch, two to four ; elliptical in shape ; texture of shell 

 fine ; surface slightly glossy ; colour, greyish-white, finely blotched and 

 spotted all over with nifous-brown or chestnut and dull purplish-brown. 

 Dimensions in inches of two odd examples (long ellipse) : 1'22 x '86 ; 

 (short ellipse) : 1-2 x '9. Two in the collection of Mr. S. W. Jackson, 

 taken diuing the season 1897-8, near the Nicholson River, North 

 Queensland, are stout ovals, and measm-e (1) 1-14 x -87, (2) 1-1 x -88. 



Observations. — -The White-bi'owed Crake has an Austro-Malayan 

 habitat, in addition to being found in the north and north-east parts of 

 Australia. Gilbert first observed it frequenting the mangi-ove quag- 

 mires of Port Dai^win district, where it was apparentlv a somewhat 

 confiding bird. On the approach of an intruder it will frequently run 

 up a branch, turn round, gaze at him, and utter a very singular, loud and 

 chattering " Cutche-cutche." Occasionally several may be heard in 

 chorus, as if attempting to excel each other in noise. 



It is by no means difficult to obtain specimens of the bird, continues 

 Gilbert, except when the water is too deep to admit of wading round 

 the thick clumps of stilted mangrove roots. 



Dui-ing a toiu- in the Rockingham Bay di.strict, 1867, Mr. E. Spalding, 

 who accompanied Dr. Ramsay, took an egg of this species from the 

 oviduct of a bird, which was the specimen the Doctor took his description 

 from. 



My specimens were received through the goodness of the late 

 Dr. Kiitter, of Germany, who likewise thoughtfully forwarded me extra 

 pages of " Cabanis' JoiuTial fiir Oniithologio " (1884-6), containing his 

 description of examples of nests and eggs of the White-browed Crake, 

 taken in Borneo. Two nests were found on the ground, 11th and 14th 

 April, 1883, with two and foiu" eggs respectively, slightly incubated. 

 One nest was somewhat shallow, constructed of the bottom part of rushes, 

 and covered with fine gi'asses. The other was, according to the descrip- 

 tion given by the collector, built of the leaves of rice-straw. 



Gould wrote : " As the nest and eggs of this species have not yet been 

 discovered, they foiTn some of the desidcrdta to which I would call the 

 attention of the rising ornithologists of Australia, and I can a.ssure them 

 that the study of the eggs will gi-eatly a.ssist them in assigiiing the birds 

 to which they belong to their proper genus." 



It is of great interest and importance tO' collectore that the eggs of 

 the four species of Crakes inhabiting Australia are now known. 



The eggs of the Little Crake and the Tabuan or Spotless Crake 

 luidoubtedly appear to be typical of the tnie Pnr:nii(e, as contrasted with 

 the Spotted Crake and the Wliitc-browcd bird, whicli appear oologically 

 difTcrent — or. as Dr. Kiitter remaiks, with reference to the last-named, 

 tliey approach in their type those of the GaUinulince, and form a well 

 defined oological sub-group of the family RaUidce. 



Gould was right in separating the White-browed under the genus 



