Vol.^11. I j^p SOUEF, Birds' -eggs from Northern Australia. 1 49 



pieces of the same material. It was situated in a shallow open 

 hollow in a dead branch, and contained four eggs, which are 

 white, with fairly large markings of brownish-buff, especially on 

 the larger end. They measure — (i) .91 x .66 ; (2) .93 x .67 ; (3) 

 .89 X .64 ; (4) .89 X .65 inch. Date, 17th November. 



Artamus melanops (Black-faced Wood-Swallow). 



Cat. B. Brit. Mus., vol. xiii., p. 17 ; Gould's Handbook, vol. i., p. 

 149, sp. 77. 



Several nests of these birds were found from nth November 

 to 3rd December. They were usually built in thick shrubs, but 

 sometimes in a hollow on the top of a stump or similar place, 

 and were made up of rootlets and fine tendrils, lined with grass. 

 The eggs are pinkish-white, marked with reddish-brown spots, 

 especially on the larger end, where they sometimes form a zone, 

 which is occasionally confliuent, but the markings vary a good 

 deal in different clutches. Two clutches measure — A, (i) .88 x 

 .60, (2) .86 X .62, (3) .85 X .63 ; B, (i) .81 X .63, (2) .78 x .68, {3) 

 .2)T) X .66 inch. 



Artamus minor (Little Wood-Swallow). 



Cat. B. Brit. Mus., vol. xiii., p. 20; Gould's Handbook, vol. i., 

 p. 146, sp. 74. 

 3rd January was the date on which a nest containing three 

 fresh eggs of this bird was found. It was built of fine rootlets, 

 lined with grass, and placed in a slight hollow, near the top of a 

 stump. The eggs are white, marked, especially on the larger 

 end, with brown spots, which are of a darker hue where they 

 apparently overlap one another ; sometimes they have a few 

 odd markings which are nearly black. My specimens measure 

 — (i) 73 X .59; (2) .75 X .60; (3) .74 X .58 inch. 

 Stictoptera annulosa (Ringed Finch). 



Cat. B. Brit. Mus., vol. xiii., p. 314; Gould's Handbook, vol. i., 

 p. 410, sp. 252. 



These birds build nests loosely constructed of coarse grass, 

 and lined with the fine tops of some grass in seed. The delicate 

 little eggs are pure white, generally somewhat elongated in 

 form, and measure— (i) .54 x .40; (2) .54 x .38 ; (3) .55 x .38; 

 (4) .52 x .38 inch. The dates on which the several clutches were 

 found are 13th, 2ist, and' 26th January. The nests measure 

 5 inches high by 4 inches broad externally, the nesting chamber 

 being 2^ inches high by i}4 inches broad, and were built in 

 shrubs, about 10 feet from the ground. 



POEPHILA acuticauda (Long-tailed Grass-Finch). 



Cat. B. Brit. Mus., vol. xiii., p. 375; Gould's Handbook, vol. i., 

 p. 422, sp. 261. 



One nest of this pretty bird was found, situated in a thick 

 bush, close to the ground. It was loosely built of coarse grass, 



