22 BIRDS OF TASMANIA. 



■Eggs. — Clutch two to three; stout oval in shape, with one 

 end distinctly rounded; texture of shell fine; surface glossy; 

 colour pearly-white, with a well-defined belt of dull umber and 

 purplish-grey spots ; there are also usually a few spots of the same 

 colour scattered over the rest of the surface. Dimensions in mm. 

 of a clutch:— (1) 18.5 x 14.5, (2) 19 x 14.5. 



Breeding Season. — Last week in November to January. 



Geographical Distribution. — Tasmania, New South Wales, Vic- 

 toria, and Queensland. 



Observations. — This Flycatcher is both more plentiful and 

 more widely distributed than the Leaden species. It arrives from 

 the mainland towards the end of October, and departs again early 

 in March. Launceston, Kelso, Lilydale, Hobart, Wilmot, Tas- 

 man's Peninsula, Noland Bay, Table Cape, Gunn's Plains, and 

 Ross are among the localities frequented by it. 



Regarding this species, Mr. H. Stuart Dove writes me: — 

 " Earliest record I have is 22nd September, which was near Laun- 

 ceston, and is early, considering it does not usually build here until 

 last week in November or first in December. Other records are — 

 3rd November, Launceston district ; 10th November, on slopes 

 of Mount Arthur, calling from the top of a dry tree and wagging 

 tail sideways as it did so — the call is like ' Chuee, chuee, chuee, 

 chuee.' Several were building at Russell's Plains on 30th Novem- 

 ber. They change places frequently when sitting. 5th December 

 one was %ing along edge of scrub near Table Cape, backwards 

 and forwards, aj^parently fly-catching. 16th December a pair came 

 and sat on my verandah-rail at Table Cape, showing to perfection 

 the long, slender shape, the beautiful dark glossy-green of throat 

 and upper surface of male — the female being brownish above, with 

 throat and cheeks orange-rufous. This species is one of my 

 favourites; it is so lively and entertaining in its motions, hardly 

 still for a moment, and the gloss on the upper surface is very 

 beautiful in sunlight." 



*SCARLET-BREASTED ROBIN 



{Petra'ca Jeggei, Sharpe). 



Male. — Whole of the upper surface black; forehead white; 

 lesser wing coverts black, secondary and greater white; white also 

 on inner secondaries; lateral tail feathers white, margined with 

 blackish-brown on basal half of inner web and towards the tip 

 of outer web ; sides of the head and throat black ; breast light 

 scarlet; rest of under surface dull white, all feathers blackish-grey 

 at bases; bill, legs, and feet black. Dimensions in mm. : — Length, 

 155; bill, 10; wing, 73; tail, 58; tarsus, 19. 



Female. — Upper surface brown; white spot on foreliead small; 

 white markings on wings as in male : tail feathers also marked 

 as in male ; chin and throat greyish white ; chest and upper part 



