POKl'HVKIO. 231 



where it enters the Yarra Ki\er, at Toorak, consisted chiel'y of debris scratched to.^ether, and 

 with the centre slif^htly hollowed at tlie top, and avera,i;ed abont fifteen to eighteen inches in 

 external diameter. 



The eggs are usually li\e, sometimes seven, in number for a sitting, but Mr. II. G. Barnard 

 sent me a set often taken at Coomooboolaroo, Uuaringa, Oueensland, on the 13th October, 1892, 

 and a set of fhe taken on the same day. Typically they are o\al in form, the shell being 

 comparatively close-grained and its surface smooth and slightly lustrous. They vary in ground 

 colour from a pale brown to a faint creamy-brown, over which are rather evenly scattered dots, 

 spots and small irregular-shaped blotches of dull reddish or purplish-brown, with which are 

 intermingled a few fainter underlying markings of pale slaty-grey. In a number of sets now 

 before me there is but little \ariation in colour, one set having dull blood red dots, spots and 

 light violet-grey blotches, but it is principally in the disposition and size of the markings, some 

 being more heavily blotched than others, while in one set they consist chielly of almost straight 

 short lines of spots longitudinally disposed down the shell. .\ set of five taken near Prince's 

 Bridge, Melbourne, \'ictoria, measures : — Lengtli (A) 2 x 1-47 inches; (B) 2-01 x 1-45 inches; 

 (C) 2'02 X 1-45 inches; (Dj i-gS x 1-49 inches; (E) 2'o3 x 1-47 inches. .\ set of seven taken 

 on the 22nd October, 1S93, by Mr. II. G. Barnard at Coomooboolaroo, Duaringa, Dawson 

 River, Oueensland, measures ; — Length (A) 2-1 x 1-45 inches; (B) 1-89 x 1-35 inches; (C) 

 1-82 X 1-34 inches; (L>) 1-84 x 1-32 inches; (l£) fSi x 1-32 inches; (F) r8i x 1-32 inches; 

 (G) 1-87 X 1-33 inches. A set of five taken by Mr. George Savidge, at Copmanhurst, Upper 

 Clarence District, New South Wales, measures: — Length (A) 2-6i x 1-45 inches; (B) 2'02 x 

 r45 inches; (C) 2'oi x 1-4 inches; (D) 2'05 x r47 inches; (K) rSg x 1-4 inches. 



.'Vugust and the live following months constitute the usual breeding season in Eastern 

 Australia, but as Mr. H. li. Elvery points out, they sometimes breed again after heavy rains in 

 the autumn. In Tasmania Dr. L. Holden has noted young birds in September, and has taken 

 eggs in October and November. 



^00^ 



Porphyrio bellus. 



AZUEE-BREASTKD GALLINULE. 



Porplniriii hAlns, Gould, Proc. Zool. Soc, 1840, p. 176 ; id., Bds. Austr,, fol. Vol. VI., pi. 70 (1848) ; 

 1(1., Handbk. Bds. Austr., Vol. II., p. 322 (1865). 



Adult male. — General coloiir ahove deep cliucolate-brown, of a slighter dusky hue on the rmnp 

 and upper tail-coverts and tail-feathers ; winijs like the hack, the lesser iviny-<xiverts a~,urc-blne, edge 

 of the iciuc/, primary coivrts, atid outer ivehs of the si.v outer primaries washed with a~ure-hlne ; 

 crorvn of the head, sides of neck and hind-neck dark cltocolale-hroiun, all but the former veri/ faintli/ 

 tinged tvitli purplish-blue, and ?vhich is more distinct on the lower portion of the hind-neck : lores ami 

 a narroK! edging of feathers around the frontal plate blackish ; cheeks, throat, centre of upper ueck 

 and foreneck dark azure-hlne : retaainder of the under surface dusky chocolatebrotvn, the upper breast 

 and flanks ^vashed jvith purplish-blue ; under tail-coreris white. Total length 21 inches, rvinq 11, 

 tail .'/•ll, bill, uiith frontal plate, '7, tarsus S- So . 



AuULT FKMALK. — Similar in jilumage to tlie mute. 



Distribution. — Western .Vustralia. 



•'(JTV OULD originally described this species in the " Proceedings of the Zoological Society of 



V JT London," in 1840, and figured it in his folio edition of " The Birds of .\ustralia " in the 



following year. Contrary to usual, his representation is not a good one, for the back is far too 

 dark, and the wing does not exhibit that rich deep chocolate-brown which is the general colour 

 of the upper parts. 



