170 CAMPBELL, Another Decade in Australian Oology. \ j^ 1 ?" 



scheme is on the tapis, or, indeed, during the consideration of 

 the proposed " Check-List " of the Aust. O.U. 



Piezorhynchus nitidus lays a very different egg to that of P. 

 gouldi, including its allies. The former is greenish-white spotted 

 with sepia, while the latter is pinkish-white marked with red, 

 and the nests of both are totally different. Would it not be 

 better to retain P. gouldi and its allies in the genus Monarcha, 

 where Gould originally placed them ? 



For years the familiar Yellow-tailed Tit was designated Geo- 

 basilcus, until it was transferred to the genus Acanthiza. The 

 Tit seldom or never lays spotted eggs as the true Acanthizce 

 do. Moreover, its double-chambered nest distinguishes the 

 structure from those of all its congeners. 



On strong oological grounds the Redthroat should be kept 

 in its original genus, Pyrrholcemus, because it is not a true 

 Sericornis, judging by the character of the eggs of all the known 

 Sericorncs. The same applies to the Scrub-Tit of Tasmania. It 

 is not a Sericornis, but an Aca nt/iiza, or , better still, Acanthornts, 

 as Colonel Legge has called it. 



With regard to the White-breasted Shrike-Robin of Western 

 Australia, it has obviously been misclassed. It is not an Eopsaltria 

 (which lays greenish eggs mottled with red), but lays a uniformly 

 olive-coloured egg resembling that of the Dusky Robin (Amauro- 

 dryas — I prefer that name to Pctrcecci) of Tasmania. 



The eggs of Climactcris leucopkcea (White-throated Tree-creeper), 

 being almost white, differ from those of true Climacterine birds, 

 which are richly spotted with red. 



In the large and varied family Meliphagidd (Honey-eaters) 

 some anomalies are apparent in the classification. The Zosterops, 

 which lay uniformly bluish-green eggs (not the usual pinkish- 

 mottled eggs of Honey-eaters), will have to be kept in a separate 

 sub-family. It is possible that the genus Myzomela may be 

 divided. The light buff-coloured eggs of M. nigra and M. pee- 

 toralis are distinct from the red-speckled eggs of the rest of the 

 genus. 



I think it would be proper to keep the Tasmanian or Crescent 

 Honey-eater in its old genus (Liekmera). By habit and feathering 

 it is not a true Meliornis. The sexes are almost alike in plumage 

 in Meliornis, but in the Crescent Honey-eater they differ. 



The Myzanthce have all been bunched under the name Mano- 

 rhina, which in Gouldian days only referred to the Bell-Bird. The 

 nidification of the Australian Miner differs materially from that 

 of the Bell-Miner. It is also questionable whether or not, on 

 oological grounds, the common Miner of Tasmania and South- 

 Eastern Australia should not be separated from its other 

 cousins. 



The beautiful Spiny-cheeked Honey-eater is certainly not a 

 Wattle-Bird — Acanthochtfra — but should remain as formerly 

 Acanthogenys. Its eggs are olive-coloured. Wattle-Birds lay 

 reddish eggs. Again, the boldly marked eggs of Philemon 



