Vol. XVII. 



1(117 



1 Stone, Bird-lover in Eastern Mallee Fringe, Vic. i 27 



whole rookery proclaimed a sanctuary. In the reeds close to 

 Fairley I saw numbers of the Black-tailed Nati\"e-Hen, Bald-Coots, 

 and Australian Coots. Three nests of the Black-backed Wren each 

 contained three eggs, and a nest of the Grass-Bird also contained 

 three eggs. The Kestrel, Fairy Martin, Laughing Jackass, and 

 Red-backed Parrots were freely nesting in the hollow trees around 

 the lake. Mr. Walsh is indeed fortunate, as a bird-lover, in having 

 his home in such splendid surroundings. 



Leaving Fairley next morning, I visited a large colonv of Fairy 

 Martins under a large road-bridge, and also found two nests of 

 the W'hite- winged Wren with young ones in them. I regretted 

 that my stay was so short, and had to cycle over some very bad 

 bits of road on my way to catch the train for Melbourne. 



Descriptions of two New Nests and Eggs. 



By He.xry L. White, M.B.O.U., Belltrees, X.S.\\'. 



Malurus (Nesomalurus) leucopterus edouardi. Black-and-White 

 Wren. 



When visiting Barrow Island, under a special permit from the 

 Western Australian Government (the island being a protected 

 area), Mr. Whitlock was asked to pay some attention to this bird, 

 and to procure its eggs if possible. The task was a comparatively 

 easy one, several clutches being secured. 



Nest. — A typical nest was described in The Emu, vol. xvii., p. 

 179, but a curious variation was obtained during the later trip. 

 The bulk of the material was similar, but the outside decoration 

 consisted of pieces of cast snake-skin freely worked into the 

 covering. Another nest was warmly lined with wallaby fur. 



Eggs. — Type clutch of three eggs ; rounded ovals in form, surface 

 of shell very line and slightly glossy ; ground colour white, marked 

 all over, but particularly at the larger ends, with small markings 

 and specks of light umber and pale reddish-brown. 



Dimensions in parts of inch :-^(«) .58 x .45, [h) .57 x .45, (r) .57 



X .45- 



Taken by Mr. F. Lawson Whitlock at Barrow Island, Dampier 

 Group, Western Australia, on 2nd August, iqi8. Xest well 

 concealed in tussock of sea-grass. 



Co-type. — Clutch of three eggs, rather oval in form, especially 

 (c) : surface of shell very fine and slightly glossy ; ground colour 

 white, while in (c) there is the very slightest tinge of pink ; marked 

 all over (and particularly at the larger end in c) with minute spots 

 and specks of light umber and reddish-brown. 



Dimensions in inches : — (a) .58 x .43, {h) .59 x .42, (c) .()2 x .42. 



Taken by Mr. F. Lawson Whitlock at Barrow Island, Dampier 

 (iroup. Western Australia, on 17th July, 1918. 



Nest in large tussock of sea-grass near springtide line. \'ery 

 well concealed. Female flushed. 



Another chitch, taken on I2tli ,\ugust, 1918, is pure white, 



