1076 



NESTS A\'D EGGS OF AUSTRALIAN BIRDS. 



According to Mr. A. J. North, wlio first described its eggs, two nests 

 were discovered by Mr. A. S. Macgillivray, Leilavale Station, Fullerton 

 River, North Queensland, December, 1897. They were built on 

 horizontal branches of gidgea (Acacia ) scrub. 



Other nests have since been found in the forest country in the neigh- 

 boiirhood of Cooktown. One in the collection of Mr. D. Le Souef, taken 

 11th December, 1899, contains two eggs, and was accompanied by a skin 

 of one of the parents. Tliis nest, in keeping with those of the other 

 members of the genus, is small and shallow, composed of yellowish gi'ass, 

 and ornamented round the outside with scale-like pieces of tea^tree 

 (Melaleuca) bark, which adhere by means of cobweb. Dimensions in 

 inches over all, 11 inches by 1} inches in depth ; e^^ cavity, \\ inches by 

 ^, inch deep. Tlie nest was situated just within reach from the gioiuid 

 in the angle of a forked branchlet of a low molaleuca. 



The eggs are oval in form ; texture of shell fine ; surface slightly 

 glossy ; colour, blviish-grey, spotted and blotched with chestnut and dull 

 purple. Dimensions in inches : (1) •? x '54, (2) "67 x -53. 



Now that the eggs of the foiir Micrcecce have been discovered, it 

 may be observed that those of the Brown, Lesser Bi-own, and Pale, 

 as may be expected, resemble each other; but the Lesser Brown has 

 the siu-face mavldngs apparently more defined, while the egg of the 

 Lemon-breasted bird is the largest and palest-coloured of all. 



111. — Petrceca c.vmpbelli. 



"WESTERN SCARLET-BREASTED ROBIN. 



In order that the description of the nest and eggs of my namesake 

 may appear in my book, Mr. D. Le Souef ha.s kindly permitted me to 

 extract the following from a paper he is forwarding to the " Tl^is " after 

 his return from Western Australia: — "A nest was found 17th October, 

 1899. It was a compact, cup-shaped stnictiu-e, composed almost entirely 

 of fine shreds of bark, the outside being a little coarser in material than 

 the lining. A few feathers were also woven into the lower portion of 

 the nest. The exterior was lightly covered with cobwebs, on which were 

 fastened small, thin flakes of bark, taken off the tree on which the nest 

 was built. It measures : external diameter, 2f inches ; internal diameter, 

 13 inches; external depth, 21 inches; internal depth, 1} inches. The 

 two eggs (clutch) are swollen ovals, having a whitish ground-colour, with 

 fine, very dirk-brown markings, which are mostly on the larger end. 

 where they fomi an irreg\dar zone. Tliere are also underlying markings 

 of grey. " Dimen.sions in inches: (1) -71 x -58, (2) -68 x •.'i4. Tlie 

 nesting season extends from September to December." 



127. SmICRORNIS EI.AVESrENS. 



YELLOW-TINTED TREE TIT. 



Tliis season (1899) Mr. D. Le Souef received from the forest rountn- 

 in the neighbourhood of Cooktown a beautiful nest, together will, an 



