280 McGILP, Birds of Lake Fromc District. ["^sffan" 



of bark and leaves is used as a bed for eggs, which are four to five 

 for sitting. Tunnels freshly excavated have a circular entrance hole, 

 but when eggs or young are in nest, the hole gradually loses its 

 circular appearance and becomes something like a semi-circle, caused 

 by the wings of the bird scraping away the earth each time it enters 

 hole. It nests from August to November. This bird is a resident, 

 and usually nests in companies in suitable localities. The tunnel is 

 excavated some time before eggs are laid. The birds appear to roost 

 only in old tunnels. On several occasions I have noted them settled 

 on a dry gum branch, and once on a wire fence, but they seem to 

 spend almost the whole of their time in the air. Both birds feed the 

 young. Food is caught on the wing. 



Hylochelidon nigrican.s. Tree-Martin. — Very numerous; residents. 

 Breed in great numbers, choosing a small knot-hole in eucalypt; a 

 handful of dry gum leaves is used to line the bottom of hollow. 

 Clutch, 3 to 5 eggs. When a suitable small hollow is not available, 

 these birds take a large hollow, and the entrance, being too large, 

 is plastered up with pellets of mud to reduce it to the desired size. 

 Both birds feed young in nest. Breeding season appears to last from 

 August to January, and I think two broods at least are reared in" the 

 season. 



Hylochelidon ariel. Fairy Martin. — Visitors, appearing some years 

 in very great numbers, while other years scarcely any arrive; arrival 

 usually takes place in August; breed in colonies in caves, under 

 verandahs, overhanging rocks and on under-side of leaning trees, 

 always close to water. The usual bottle-shaped mud-pellet nest is lined 

 with grass and a few feathers. Clutch, 4 to 6 eggs. An average- 

 sized nest, built singly (not built on to others), measured 9'i inches 

 long by 5 inches diameter through e{i:g cavity. The entrance hole 

 was a little over 1 inch in diameter. For some days after the young 

 are hatched, only one bird feeds them. One, presumably the female, 

 stays in the nest with young, and takes the fcoil from its mate. After 

 about a week both parents collect food. The arrival of these birds in 

 district is a puzzle to me. They come at irregular intervals, some- 

 times two years between visits, and at other times two years in suc- 

 cession. In 1920 they appeared for first time since 1918, and have 

 not yet returned. The season does not seem to affect their move- 

 ments, as 1920 was a very bad year, while 1917 and 1918 were good 

 years. I have never actually seen the arrival or departure of these 

 birds. During August colonies are formed in favourite spots, and the 

 birds begin to build immediately in the old places. They are usually 

 all gone by November. I have found several sets of eggs deserted by 

 the birds towards end of September; some had reared their young, 

 and possibly the owners of the eggs had preferred to depart with 

 the rest of the colony rather than stay and rear what was possibly 

 a second brood. The earliest arrival of a colony was in July, 1917, 

 while in 1918 none were noted till 12th September, but they were then 

 busy with their nests. 



Totroica goodenovii. Red-capped Robin. — One of the commonest 

 birds; breeds in accordance with season, at any period of year, but 

 in spring if favourable. Its beautiful nest is constructed of fine 

 shreds of bark and dried grasses, matted together with cobwebs, and 

 the whole is matted on to a horizontal or upright fork and ornamented 

 with lichens to make the nest closely resemble its surroundings. The 

 egg cavity is formed by fine rootlets worked horizontally round inside, 

 and it is then snugly lined with fur. Measurement externally, 22 

 inches diameter; egg cavity, U inches deep by a full li inches in 

 diameter. The nest is often built close to ground, one being found 

 18 inches up and another as high as 18 feet from ground. In good 

 seasons three eggs form the full set, but in normal times only two 

 eggs are Iai<l. The eggs are almost covered with the fur in nest.* The 



