^'"' ^^"l h'ovti/ liis/yalasian Oyiii/liologisfs' Union. jSy 



pieces of wool, lined with pieces of hue grass, cocoons, and vyool. 

 One nest contained, l)()lli outside and inside, several coarse pieces, 

 of spinifex {Triodia) tlower-stenis. 



Eggs. — Usuallv three, sometimes four,, to clutrli ; shell very 

 fine, witli littU'" gloss ; ground colour white. In the matter of 

 coloured markings they present remarkable variation, and the 

 selection of a type is difficult. Some clutches (the majority) are 

 marked all over, but more particularly at the larger end, with 

 small dots and splashes of pale reddish-brown : others have a well- 

 defined zone of brighter-coloured markings : a third variety has 

 a cap of markings which run into one another and give a blotched 

 appearance ; a fourth variety and the most beautiful— is boldly 

 marked all over with large spots of bright brownish-red. 



The type is more difficult to select than was the case with 

 Maluriis leucopterus edouardi (Campbell) from Barrow Island, 

 described by me in The Emu, xviii., p. 127 (by the way, the page 

 in question is wrongly marked " vol. xvii., 1917 "). The Dirk 

 Hartog eggs are more heavily marked, and I have seen no pure 

 white specimens ; they are also narrower ovals. I have selected 

 as type a clutch of four eggs marked as first mentioned .above — • 

 viz., with small dots and splashes. 



Dimensions in inches — {a) .61 x .44, {b) .61 x .42, (l) .5 x .41, 

 {d) .61 x .41. Taken by F. L. Whitlock, 27th August, 1920. 

 Nest very hard to see and get, at, in a prickly Hcikea bush. 



Comparison between Barrow Island and Dirk Hartog nests 

 and eggs :- • 



Xest <i" X 3" 5" X 23" 



Eggs (type set average) 57 x .45 .61 x .42 



It will be noted that the Dirk Hartog Island bird builds a 

 smaller nest, but lays a longer and narrower egg. Two of the 

 Dirk Hartog nests contained each an egg of the Western Narrow- 

 billed Bronze-Cuckoo {Chalcococcyx basalts wyndhami), one of 

 them being the most heavily-marked specimen I have seen. 



Stipiturus malachurus hartogi. Carter {Bull. B.O.U., xxxvii., p. (> : 



Ibis, 1 91 7, plate 11). 



Nest. — Ill-made, dome-shaped, with side entrance near top, 

 constructed of dead grass, shreds of grass, and bark, matted 

 together with spider''- web, cocoons, and sheep's wool, with slight 

 lining of cocoons and wool : average size about 4 x 2.\ inches : 

 generally placed low down in a bush. 



Eggs. — Usuallv three in number, stout oval in shape, shell 

 slightly glossy ;" colour white, with light brownish-red splashes 

 all over, but 'more plentiful at the larger end, wiiere in some cases 

 tliev form a well-defined cap. 



Dimensions in inches of type clutch .— {a) .bi x .44, {b) .(> \ .44, 

 ((■) .() X .44 : co-type— (lO ;6 x .46, (b) .6 x .46, (c) .() \ .4(). Taken 

 loth .\ugust, i()2(). 



Tliere is ci;nsideral)le >imilarily between eggs of this bird and 



