QA Le Souef, Birds' -egos from NortJiern Australia. f J 



Emu 

 Oct. 



PSEPHOTUS CHRYSOPTEKYGIUS (Goldeii-shouldered Parrakeet). 

 Cat. B. Brit. Mus., vol. xx., p. 565. 

 This beautiful bird is only found in Northern Australia, and 

 its nest was discovered on i6th December, the egg being laid at 

 the end of a hollow dead branch of a eucalyptus tree on the 

 earthy substance. There was only one fresh ^^'g, the rest 

 apparently not having been laid. It is pure white, glossy, and 

 rounded, and measures .86 x .72 inches. 



Geophaps SMITHI (Naked-eyed Partridge-Pigeon). 

 Cat. B. Brit. Mus., vol. xxi., p. 532. 



The habits of this Pigeon are very similar to those of G. 

 scripta. Its two very pale cream-coloured eggs are laid on the 

 ground in a slight nest made of grass, or sometimes on a tussock 

 of grass. The dates on which three nests were found are lOth 

 December, 2nd and 3rd July. The eggs are somewhat oval, 

 slightly glossy, and measure — A, (i) 1.13 x .84, (2) 1.12 x .81 ; 

 B, (i) 1.08 X .80, (2) 1. 12 X .80 ; C, 1.08 X .83 inches. 

 TURNIX CASTANONOTA (Chestnut-backed Quail). 

 Cat. B. Brit. Mus., vol. xxii., p. 552. 



These birds make their nests on the ground, either close 

 alongside a tussock of grass or where the grass grows long, 

 especially in the neighbourhood of water. The full clutch seems 

 to be four. The eggs are rounded, glossy, and finely pitted, and 

 when rubbed together produce a sound like china marbles, in 

 common with most other Quails' eggs ; they are greenish white, 

 and some are boldly speckled with very dark brown or almost 

 black markings, especially on the larger end, while others have 

 much smaller faint spots of purplish-brown. The markings 

 beneath the surface appear grey. The eggs vary somewhat in 

 size, and measure (see illustration) — A, (i) 1.09 x .82, (2) i.io 

 X .81, (3) I.IO x .80, (4) 1.08 x .79 ; B, (i) 1.02 X .79, (2) 1.03 X 

 .79, (3) I X .y^, (4) .93 X .79 ; C, (i) .94 X .75. (2) .98 X .80, (3) .93 X 

 .78, (4) .96 X .75 inches. Dates — 3rd, 4th, 13th, and 30th 

 January. 



TURNIX PYRRHOTHORAX (Red-chested Quail). 

 Cat. B. Brit. Mus., vol. xxii., p. 553. 



A nest of this Quail was found on 26th September, made 

 close to a tussock of grass, which completely screened it from 

 observation. The eggs are rounded, and, as usual in Quails' 

 eggs, much pointed at one end. They are a creamy white, and 

 thickly freckled with rather fine markings of reddish brown, 

 especially on the larger end, where they are confluent. They 

 measure — (i) .90 x .75 ; (2) .94 x .71 inch. 



Amaurornis moluccana (Rufous-tailed Rail). 

 Cat. B. Brit. Mus., vol. xxiii., p. 153. 

 The nest of this bird, containing three eggs, was found on 



