BIRDS OF TASMANIA. 69 



the North-West Coast, and several instances have come under my 

 notice here in Launceston. During the winter of 1909 a small 

 flock of five remained throughout the winter in this city. When 

 the time ajjproaches for the winter migration, hundreds of 

 Swallows may be seen in the early part of almost any autumn 

 round Low Head, at the mouth of the River Tamar. Migration 

 usually takes place towards dusk. Its note is sweet, but weak; 

 when on the wing it often utters a short, shrill cry. The general 

 habits of this species are too well known to enlarge upon, 



*TREE-^IARTIN 

 {Petrochelidon nigricans, Vieill.) 



Male. — Frontal band pale brick-red, extending to corner of each 

 eye ; ear coverts blackish ; head and upper back deep steel-blue ; 

 lower back and rump whitish-brown, slightly washed with greyish- 

 red ; tail feathers dusk3--brown ; lesser wing coverts deep steel-blue ; 

 the remainder, also the quills, dusky-brown ; innennost secondaries 

 narrowly tipped with white; sides of neck sandy-buff, streaked 

 with dull black; throat whitish, tinged with buff, the feathers 

 having blackish shafts ; neck, chest, and sides of body pale sandy- 

 rufous; chest and abdomen whitish, tinged with pale sandy-rufous; 

 under tail coverts deep sandy-rufous ; bill, legs, and feet pale brown. 

 Dimensions in mm. .- — Length, 133; bill, 6.5; wing, 112; tail, 55; 

 tarsus, 11. 



Female. — Similar to male. 



Yoimg. — No frontal band ; upper surface dusky-brown blotched 

 with blue; under surface buffy-white. 



Nest. — Generally a hollow broken limb or a hole in an elbowed 

 limb is chosen, and a lining of eucalypt leaves placed therein. Mr. 

 H. C. Thompson has come across instances where this species has 

 routed Swallows out of their homes, and, after making some altera- 

 tions, put a lining of leaves in and laid. 



Eggs. — Clutch three to five; stout oval to oval in shape; 

 texture of shell fine; surface glossy; colour pearly-white, more 

 or less very finely freckled with pale reddish. Dimensions in mm. 

 of a stout oval clutch:— (1) 17 x 13, (2) 17.5 x 13, (3) 18 x 12.5, 

 (4) 17 X 12.5. A beautiful clutch in Mr. H. C Thompson's col- 

 lection differs from the usual type in that three of the four eggs are 

 somewhat heavily freckled and spotted, especially about the apex, 

 with rich chestnut, the fourth egg being quite normal. Dimen- 

 sions in mm. of this clutch, which is elliptical in shape: — (1) 21 

 X 14, (2) 20 X 14, (3) 19.5 x 13.5, (4) 21 x 13.5. 



Breeding Season. — September to December, 



Geographical Distribution. — Tasinania, King Island, Australia 

 in general; also New Zealand, Aru Islands, New Briton, New 

 Guinea, and Ke Islands. 



Observations. — It is usually late September or early October 



