NESTS AND EGGS OF AVSTRA7JAN BIRDS. 7151 



Erythra ; it is, however, now consigned to Pi>/ii)Nmnai. Witii regard 

 to tlie Australian Crates it will be seen the eggs of the White-browed 

 most approach those of tlie Tabuan in general appearance ; while the 

 Spotted Crake's differ materially from all by resembling miniature Rail's. 



583. — Amaurornis moluccana, Wallace. 

 Galfinit/a ruficrissa, Gould. 



RUFOUS-TAILED MOOR HEN. 



Figure. — Gould : Birds of Australia, fol., supp , pi. 79. 



Reference. — Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., vol. xxiii., p. 153. 



Previous Description of Eggs. — North : I'roc. Linn. See, N.S. Wales, 

 2nd ser., vol. ii., p. 446 (1887). 



G'ogrn-phicaJ BiMrihulhm. — Northern Teiiitory (probably), and 

 Queensland ; also New Guinea, New Britain and Moluccas. 



yesi. — Not described. 



^//r/v. — Clutch, five ( ?) ; oval in form; dull white, tliickly spotted 

 with small, irregular-shaped, reddisli-chestnut markings, inteniiingled 

 with otliers of a deep bluish-gi-ey, appeai-ing as if beneath the surface of 

 the shell, which pi-edominate chiefly towards the larger end. Dimen- 

 sions in inches: (1) 1-67 x M4, (2) 1-65 x M6, (3) 1-64 x M5, 

 (4) r6xl'17, (5) l-.57xl-15 (North). A specimen in the Dalgleish 

 collection is oval in shape ; texture fine ; surface glossy ; colour, white, 

 moderately marked (but thickest on the apex) with small blotches and 

 spots of nifous and dull piuplish-grey. Dimensions in inches : 

 1-62 x 1'12. If this be a typical egg it is narrower in form and whiter 

 in ground-colour than any of the known Australian Rails' eggs. 



Ohfservatianit. — For the knowledge of this northern Gallinule Gould 

 was indebted to the late Mr. F. G. Waterhouse, of the Adelaide 

 Museum, South Australia. The bird was obtained by Mr. Rainbird, 

 the collector, who shot it on the Cape River, a tributary of the Burdekin, 

 Queensland. 



Tlie Rufous-tailed Moor Hen is recorded in Dr. Ramsay's " Tabular 

 List " for the Port. Denison and Wide Bay districts. Seeing its range 

 extends to many Austro-Malayan localities, no doubt the bird occm's 

 in other parts of northern Austraha. 



Scarcely anything is known of the nidification of the Rufous-tailed 

 Moor Hen, the single e^^g in the Dobroyde collection being apparently 

 imaccompanied wdth data of any kind. The description of eggs I have 

 used is partly Mr. North's, taken from a set foiuid by Mr. Parkinson 

 while at New Britain. Specimens of birds were also procured with the 

 eggs. 



