214 ^^^'^y Pe'itiierS. [isf'jan. 



depth. The bird that flushed from the nest appeared to be the 

 smaller of the two, probably the male. Tree, a Moreton Bay ash." 



Ptilotis cockerelli (Cockerell Honey-eater). — Eggs. — Clutch, two, 

 taken near the Jardine River, Cape York, on loth May, 1911, 

 by Mr. W. M'Lennan. Oval in form, close in grain, smooth, and 

 slightly lustrous ; ground colour pale pinkish-white, sparingly 

 dotted with irregular spots and markings of reddish-brown, which 

 are gathered at the larger end to form a zone, almost obscuring the 

 ground colour. In this zone are a few underlying spots of a 

 purplish hue. A second set showed much variation, one specimen 

 being almost pure white in colour, with a very glossy surface and 

 a small band of faint chestnut-red spots at the larger end, the 

 other having a ground colour of a rich salmon, sparingly spotted 

 with spots and blotches over two-thirds of the surface, and forming 

 a distinct zone, almost covering the larger end. 



Nest. — Cup-shaped (not pensile), but supported in a terminal, 

 horizontal branchlet of " tea-tree." Composed almost wholly of 

 very fine grass stems and the hair-like stems of some other plant, 

 all beautifully interwoven, but admitting of perfect ventilation. 

 A very few silky threads of cobweb are used here and there to bind 

 it together. Mr. M'Lennan's note reads as follows : — " Twenty- 

 two mile camp, near Jardine River, Cape York. Went through 

 swamp near camp ; found a Ptilotis cockerelli nest, two fresh eggs, 

 in a small tea-tree bush 18 inches from the ground. Nest sent for 

 description and identification ; shot the female." 



Pcecilodryas pulveridenta (White-tailed Shrike-Robin). — Mr. W. 

 M'Lennan discovered this rare species building in the fork of 

 a mangrove tree near Piara, Cape York, on the 22/9/1 1. and 

 took the nest and pair of eggs on 2/10/11, the eggs being then 

 somewhat incubated. These specimens appear similar to nest 

 and eggs of this species described by Mr. H. L. White from the 

 North- West coast in The Emu, vol. x., p. 132. The following is 

 Mr. M'Lennan's field note : — " Went on to the nest of P. pul- 

 veridenta found building on the 22nd September. The female was 

 sitting on the nest, so I sat down and watched her for about 

 i| hours ; she left the nest three times, and returned each 

 time within a couple of minutes, and occasionally uttered a 

 short, low whistle. The male did not put in an appearance, but 

 I heard him call once some distance away from the nest. I 

 imitated the call, and he came along to see what was the matter, 

 but soon left again."— (Dr.) W. Macgillivray. Broken Hill, 

 N.S.W., 6/10/11. 



Bird Day. — The importance of Bird Day in most of the State 

 schools of the Commonwealth needs a special notice. This has 

 been unavoidably held over, together with an engraving of the 

 certificate of the Gould League of New South Wales, till the next 

 issue of The Emu. 



