Vol. Xl."j WiiiTK, Deficn'f^finris nf two Nesis and Eggs. 240 



Descriptions of two Nests and Eggs. 

 Bv H. L. Whiti:. K.A.O.T., Bki.i.trkf.s (X.S.W.) 



Megalurus striatus (Milli|;an). 



.V('s7. — Loosely coiistructcd ol drird f^nass. warmly lined with 

 Duck and Bald-Coot tcatheis. and placed low down iii elunip ol 

 reeds growing in water. .A i).iir of birds has been rccei\-ed for 

 identification. 



Clutch. — Four eggs. (i) Mea'=uring — a. .67 x .53: h. .bq x 

 .53 ; c, .iij X .52 ; d, .bb x .31. Surface of shell smooth and without 

 gloss : ground colour pinkish-white, rather thickly covered all 

 over with small spots of brownish-red, which increase towards 

 the larger end, where they form a distinct zone. (2) Measuring — 

 a, .72 X .54 : b, .72 X .54 : c, .72 x .52 ; d, .70 x .54. Similar in 

 colour to clutch i, but the markings are not so numerous, nor do 

 they form such a well-defined zone at the larger end. 



Both clutches are similar to eggs of Megalurus gramineus, but 

 the markings are larger, and not so thickly distributed over the 

 shell ■ the colouring is also much brighter than in M . gramineus, 

 and more nearly ai:)proaches that of M. galactntes. 



These eggs were collected for me by Mr. F. Lawson Whitlock 

 at Wilson's Inlet, near Albany (W.A.). October and November, 

 iqii. 

 Pseudogerygone jacksoni (Campbell, ante, p. 247). 



Nest. — The usual Gervgoue shape, suspended from a thin twig 

 of a green coolibar tree at a height of 8 feet from the ground. 

 Total length, q inches (including a tail of 4 inches) : the hooded 

 entrance (i inch in circumference) almost in the centre of the 

 nest proper. 



. The nest is constructed of tine shreds of bark, matted together 

 with spiders' web and ornamented with spidei"s' white egg-bags, 

 and lined with wool and feathers. 



Eggs. — Type clutch of three (g/io/1911). Shape, long ovals ; 

 texture of shell fine, surface slightly glossy ; ground colour delicate 

 pinkish-white, finely spotted all over with reddish-brown, par- 

 ticularly at the larger end, where a well-defined zone of larger 

 markings of reddish-brown occurs. The spots or blotches forming 

 the zones in specimens a and c are much larger than those in 

 specimen h, which is also similarly zoned, except that the markings 

 are composed of a mass of minute specks and not blotches. 

 Dimensions in parts of an inch : — a, 0.68 x 0.44 : b, 0.68 x 0.45 ; 

 c, 0.68 X 0.44. 



Observations. — Mr. Jackson, the collector, states that " Ten 

 nests were found getting built, five of which were ransacked 

 and pulled to pieces by some nest-robbing creatures. This 

 usually' took place just as the structures were nearing com- 

 pletion. The first nest found contained a clutch of three eggs, 

 on 9th October (iqii). but the remaining four only contained 

 two eggs each, although amjjle time was allowed for the third egg 



