A£srs AXD i:ggs or austhalian bikds. gg^ 



its two eggs on the bare floor of the hole, and both sexes assist in the 

 task of incubation. It usually returns from sea about noon, soaring 

 high in the air, and wheeling round in circles before alighting." 



Mr. F. M. Nobbs, t-o whom I was indebted for several splendid 

 specimens of these eggs, states that on Norfolk Island, where he lived 

 ior the greater part of his life, the Tropic Bird lays one cg'g. This 

 statement is at variance with MacgilUvray's, who says that two are the 

 complement. 



This bird is particularly attached to its eggs or young, and in 

 defending them will allow itself to be caught. The eggs from Norfolk 

 Island were dated 7th December, 1886 ; other specimens were collected 

 in November. 



From the other side of the Continent Mr. G, K. Beddoes writes : 

 " Found Tropic Bird nesting on Pelsarl Island (Abrolhos) ; month, 

 Febniary ; two eggs, both hard set. 



" Following February two nests same kind were taken on Rat 

 Island ; two eggs in each. I could not rescue the eggs, not being the 

 finder." 



733. — Phaethon lepturus, Daubin. 

 r. c(\i\(li(lu>:, Temniinck. 



WHITE-TAILED TROPIC BIRD. 



Reference. — Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., vol. xxvi., p. 457. 



Previous Descriftion of Eggs. — Legge : Birds of Ceylon, p. 11 75 

 (1880). 



Ge.nt/rnphical Dii-frihution. — The coasts of West and North-west 

 Australia, Northern Tenitoiy, Queensland, and New South Wales ; 

 also tropical and sub-tropical seas of the world (except the east coast 

 of Nortli America). 



Nest. — A hole or hollow of a rock or tree stump. 



Egg.i. — Clutch, one; resembles that of P. americanus, being oval 

 in form, or more compressed towards one end ; tcxtiu'e of shell somewhat 

 coarse; surface has faint trace of gloss; colour, light stony- buff, finely 

 freckled all over (thickest on the apex) with purplish-brown. Dimensions 

 in inches: 2-08 x 1-52 (Legge); 2-04 x 1-48 (Nehrkorn). 



Observations. — Although the White-tailed Tropic Bird is usually 

 restricted to tropical waters, in Australia it has been observed as far 

 south as Hovitman's Abrolhos, on the west coast, while on the east 

 coast an immature specimen was blown ashore at Botany Bay (New 

 South Wales) during February, 1898, after an occurrence of easterly 

 gales. 



Concerning the White-tailed, or Yellow-billed, Tropic Bird, Colonel 

 Legge records : " The nearest nesting place of this species to Ceylon 



