Mr. E. P. Ramsay on Birds breeding near Sydney. 245 



few obsolete dots of faint lilac ; others are without markings, save 

 one patch at the top of the larger end : like most of our Austra- 

 lian birds' eggs, they vary much in shape and in tint of colour. 

 The site selected for the nest is usually some low bushy shrub, 

 among the rich clusters of Tecoma australis, or carefully hidden 

 in the thick tufts of Blechnum [B. cartilagineurn) , which often 

 covers a space of many square yards in these clumps, where it 

 clings to the stems of the ferns. I have several times found two 

 or three pairs breeding at the same time within a few yards of 

 each other. The ferns and Tecomce seem to be their favourite 

 places for breeding, although the nests may often be found placed 

 suspended between forks in the small bushy oaks (Casuarince). 



In the nest of this Honeyeater I have several times found 

 the egg of a Cuckoo : this egg is of a very pale flesh-colour, 11^ 

 lines long by S^ broad, and usually without any markings. I 

 have only seen one specimen with a few dots of black and dark 

 reddish-brown upon a pale-flesh ground. From the nests of a 

 species of Ptilotis, and also those of Melithreptus lunulatus, I 

 have also taken the same eggs. I have not yet satisfied myself 

 what species of Cuckoo they belong to; but probably it will 

 turn out to be Cuculus cinereus, Gould. 



On January 30th 1864, I shot a very beautiful variety of 

 Ptilotis auricomis, of a pale yellow colour above and below, 

 having the ear-coverts and whiskers, front and sides of the head, 

 throat, outer webs of tail, and wing-feathers brighter and a shade 

 deeper in colour ; the shafts of all the feathers white ; the bill 

 and claws brownish horn-colour ; iris dull blue ; feet and legs 

 bluish lead-colour. I have since seen another specimen several 

 times feeding in the pear-trees in our garden. 



Both these specimens seemed to be very much scouted by the 

 rest of their species, feeding quietly by themselves, sometimes 

 in the clumps of Loranthus or upon the manna on the sides of 

 the gum-trees (Eucalyptus), and occasionally in the garden upon 

 the pear-trees. 



Several times while about shooting one of these, I noticed a 

 Yellow Robin {Eopsaltria australis) perch close beside him, take 

 an inquisitive look, and then uttering a harsh squeak fly oflp, as if 

 quite disgusted with such a " freak of nature.''^ 



