Mr. E. P. Ramsay on Australian Oology. 417 



dispersed over the whole surface, with obsolete spots of bluish- 

 grey, which are usually largest on the thicker end of the egg. 



A second variety of the egg of this bird, one of which is 

 usually found in a set, is much more elongated in form than 

 the subject of the figure, and has the whole of the thick end 

 freckled with minute dots of bluish-grey, without any other 

 markings, save here and there a small blackish dot. Length 

 1"6 in.; breadth '9 in. 



3. Parra gallinacea, Temminck. (PL VIII. fig. 3.) 



The eggs of this species are among the most beautiful of any 

 laid by our Australian birds. The curious labyrinthine mark- 

 ings which characterize them, however, are not altogether con- 

 fined to the eggs of the Parra ; and, while the eggs of at least 

 three of our species of Pomatostomus are beautifully marbled and 

 veined in the most delicate manner, we have those of an Aus- 

 tralian grallatorial bird which surpass them all in the peculi- 

 arity of the markings. I know not whether I have anything 

 further to communicate respecting the Parra gallinacea than 

 has already appeared in my former notes upon the subject (Ibis, 

 1865, pp. 305, 306), wherein I described the eggs, one of which 

 forms the subject of the accompanying figure (Plate VIII. fig. 3) . 

 I may mention, however, that the Parra, although usually a resident 

 throughout the whole year in those parts of the country which 

 it inhabits, sometimes disappears most marvellously, as I found 

 to my cost during a recent trip to the north part of the Rich- 

 mond River ; for on searching the ponds, lakes, and lagoons in 

 these districts, where during the previous year (1865) this 

 species was extremely abundant, we did not succeed in finding 

 a single specimen. Day after day we continued our search, 

 until finally obliged to leave without efi'ecting our purpose. 

 This is the more remarkable as the Parra is a bird of very 

 limited powers of flight. The eggs are four in number. Their 

 shell appears to be very strong, and has the same smooth glossy 

 feeling when handled that characterizes the eggs of Excalfadoria 

 australis and Perdix cinerea. 



4. Choriotis australis (J. E. Gray). (Plate IX. fig. 1.) 

 The eggs of the Australian Bustard are still rarities in our 



N. s. — VOL. III. 2 r 



