Vol. Ill 

 1904 



Australasian Ornithologists' Union. I4S 



reproduced, which enhances the value of the article. Later on, 

 the report on the colony of Petrels in Part 3 by the Council 

 embodies some important observations and recommendations 

 for its better preservation. That in reference to the opening 

 of burrows for obtaining eggs being discontinued is an excellent 

 one, as it is well known what an effect the wind has on dunes 

 and sandy tracts when even the smallest part of their surface is 

 disturbed. Serious as it is in this part of the world, it is far 

 worse in the tropics, where a constant monsoon wind of uniform 

 strength blows for five months of the year from the same quarter 

 and has the effect of moving the dunes bodily onwards, and 

 overwhelming by degrees human habitations in their vicinity. 

 A fixed date, as suggested, for the cessation of egging operations 

 is most necessary, and it is to be hoped that this recommendation 

 will be brought into effect. 



Mr. Le Souef, in Part 3, published after the Conference, con- 

 tinues his review of the collections of eggs from Port Darwin, 

 in which the breeding season there for Raptorial birds is shown 

 to be chiefly in the Southern winter — May till September ; 

 Uroaetus audax is an exception — 25 th January — the chances 

 being, however, that this is a case of sporadic breeding. Three 

 species of that diminutive genus P seudogerygone (Fly-eaters) — 

 namely, P. bruneipectus, P. Icevigastra, and P. chloronota — have 

 their eggs described for the first time, and will probably be 

 figured ere long in The Emu. The nesting of the Austro-Malayan 

 migrants and Northern residents comprised in the genera 

 Eurystomus , Met ops, Centro pus , Pt isles, Myristicivora, Histrio- 

 phaps, and Lophophaps are described among the 80 species 

 treated of, the most interesting note perhaps being that relating 

 to the Roller (E. australis), which darted into the holes of sundry 

 trees with the object of decoying away the intruder from its 

 nest. This is an exhibition of intelligence which has no counter- 

 part except in the case of the Plovers and other Limicoline birds, 

 and it is almost certain that no other Picarian genus shows as 

 high a form of instinct in this direction. 



In connection also with Mr. Le Souef's article, it may be men- 

 tioned that the Fly-eaters have a peculiar interest attached to 

 them as being one of the few genera which gives us affinity 

 with New Zealand, there being three species of Gerygone in 

 that country, including the Chatham Islands. The genus is 

 somewhat widely distributed, occurring in the Indo-Malayan 

 area, and passing through Papuasia to Australia, from whence 

 it extends to New Zealand. In Part 1 of the present volume 

 is a further notice by the same writer on the birds of the Northern 

 Territory, in which the nesting of two species of Rhi piclura, one 

 of Ptilosclera, and one of Platycercus is given, these Fantails 

 and Parrakeets being all Northern species. The eggs of Rhipidura 

 phasiana are evidently described for the first time. Mr. Le 

 Souef's article on the change of colour, without moulting, of 

 some birds opens up an interesting field of investigation which 



