Mr. E. P. Ramsay on the Birds of Sydney. 177 



[In the collection of skins sent home by Dr. Roch is one of 

 an Avicida in immature plumage, which is considered by Mr. 

 Gurney to be the bird described by Sir A. Smith (S. Afr. Journ. 

 ii. p. 285) as Pernis madagascariensis. This species is united by 

 Hartlaub (p. 19) to Avicida verreauxii of South Africa, but it 

 seems to be distinct from that species, and should stand as 

 Avicida madagascariensis. There is no note by Dr. Roch re- 

 specting this specimen. — Ed.] 



XVII. — Notes on the Birds breeding in the Neighbourhood of 

 Sydney, New South Wales. By E. P. Ramsay, Esq., of 

 Dobroyde. 



1. The Emeu Wren {Stipiturus malachurus, Gould, B. Austr. 

 iii. pi. 31). 



I had for many days visited the swamps upon Long Island, 

 where these birds were very plentiful, in hopes of finding them 

 breeding ; but it was not until the 25th of September 1861, that 

 I succeeded in discovering a nest, although I had watched them 

 for hours together for several days. 



While walking along the edge of the swamp, however, on this 

 day, I was agreeably surprised by disturbing a female, which flew 

 from my feet out of an overhanging tuft of grass growing only a 

 few yards from the water's edge. Upon lifting up the leaves of the 

 grass, which had been bent down by the wind, I found its nest 

 carefully concealed near the roots, and containing three eggs. 

 As the bird did not fly far, but remained close by, in a small 

 Swamp -oak {Casuarina, sp.), I had a good opportunity of 

 satisfying myself that it was a veritable *' Emeu Wren." The 

 eggs were, of course, quite warm, and within a few days of being 

 hatched : this may account for the bird being so unwilling to 

 leave the spot ; for when I returned about five minutes afterwards, 

 the female was perched upon the same tuft of grass, and within a 

 few inches from where I had taken the nest. The whole nest 

 is of an oval form (but that part which one might term the true 

 nest is perfectly round), placed upon its side ; the mouth very 

 large, taking up the whole of the upper part of the front. It is very 

 shallow — so much so that, if tilted slightly, the eggs would roll 



