OF SOUTHERN AUSTRALIA. 21 



each consecutive day; (6) the clutch takes 15 days to incu- 

 bate ; (c) the young open their eyes on the ninth day ; {d) the 

 young left the nest, in Observation T., in 24 days ; in Obser- 

 vation TV., in one calendar month (30 days). 



Observation I. — August-September, 1899, Heytesbury, Vic- 

 toria. — To last year's nest, in the much- weathered hollow at 

 the base of a eucalypt trunk, the birds commenced additions 

 as early as the 6th August, and by the 13th a new tier of 

 plaster, 1 inch thick, was laid. Immediately following this 

 an inner lining of rabbits' fur, feathers, &c., was fixed in 

 ample time for the first egg. First egg deposited in nest 23rd 

 August, second egg 24th August, third egg 25th August, 

 fourth egg 26th August, fifth egg 27th August. The birds 

 immediately sat, and brought out five young on the llth 

 September. On the 4th October young left the nest for the 

 first time. 



Observation II. — September, 1899, Heytesbury, Victoria. — 

 To experiment, the old nest was broken away and taken quite 

 out of sight of the birds. This gave an opportunity to find 

 the time required to build a complete nest. The operation 

 commenced on 7th September, and by the 19th instant the 

 earthen cup was finished. By the 30th instant the Hning was 

 fixed, and an egg was laid. Without giving any clear explana- 

 tion, the owners made no further advance with this nest, and 

 the single egg remained unincubated. 



Observation III. — October-November, 1899, Heytesbury, 

 Victoria. — The first egg was deposited in nest on 12th October, 

 and a second on the following day. Several days' watching 

 showed no further development. Considering the nest was 

 abandoned, the observation ceased. Passing the nest some 

 weeks later two young were found to be progressing favour- 

 ably. 



