166 H. L. \\'HITE, New A'ests and Eyys. Tisffan" 



CUmacteris melanota (Gould). Black Tree-creeper. 



The discoveiy of this Tree-creeper, followed by the tragedy 

 of Gilbert's death on the 28th June, 1845,* from aboriginal 

 spear- wounds (see Leichhardt's "Overland Expedition from 

 Moreton Bay to Port Essington" (1847), page 309) has always 

 been of more than ordinary interest to ornithological collectors. 



I have tried unsuccessfully for many years to secure eggs, 

 and until Mr. JMcLennan's visit to Coen (about 200 miles N.W. 

 of Cooktown), North Queensland, my only souvenir of the bird 

 was a skin or two. 



CUmacteris melanota (Gould). Black Tree-creeper. 



Type Eggs. — Clutch, 2 ; swollen ovals in shape ; ground- 

 colour pinkish-white, well marked all over, and particularly at 

 the larger end, with specks and blotches of pale to rich reddish- 

 brown, and purplish markings, the latter being chiefly confined 

 to the larger end of both eggs. Incubation fresh ; surface of 

 shell very fine, and slightly glossy. A, .%7 -< .66; B, .85 ^ .67 

 inches. 



Nest placed 24 feet from the ground in a hollow limb of iron- 

 bark tree. Entrance 3 inches in diameter, depth 12 inches, 

 bottom 4 inches diameter. Collected by Mr. W. McLennan at 

 Coen, Ca])e York Peninsula, North Queensland, 30th October, 

 1921. 



Co-Type Eggs. — Clutch, 2; ovals in shape; ground-colour 

 pinkish-buff, marked uniformly all over with specks and blotches 

 of pale to rich reddish-brown, and scattered here and there are 

 dull purplish markings, the latter not nearly so numerous as 

 in the type clutch. The general markings are far more abund- 

 ant, and closer together than in the tvi)e clutch. Surface of 

 shell very fine, and slightly glossy. A, .88 x .67; B, .88 x .67 

 inches. 



Nest placed 15 feet from the ground in a hollow limb of a 

 mountain ash. Entrance 5 inches in diameter, depth 15 inches, 

 bottom diameter 5 inches. Incubation was advanced. 



Collected by Mr. W. McLennan, at Coen, Cape York Penin- 

 sula, North Queensland, 1st November, 1921. The eggs vary 

 in size, shape and general disposition of markings, and approach 

 nearest to those of the Brown Tree-Creeper (CUmacteris 

 piciimna), but, of course, are much smaller. 



Mr. McLennan's notes upon the taking of the eggs read as 

 follows: — "I saw a single C. melanota, watched it; after a while 

 I saw its mate. In a few minutes one flew to a hollow 24 feet 

 from ground in an ironbark, with what looked like a piece of 

 charcoal in its bill, and went inside. Waited several minutes, 

 then rode u]) and rapped the tree with tomahawk, bird flushed 

 and flew off. Climbed up and found a set of two lovely fresh 



* On the Gilbert Memorial Tablet in St. James' Church, Sydney, the 

 date of death is shown as 29th June.— Eds. 



