I 50 Le SoueF, Birds'-eggs from Northern Australia. [isf jan 



and lined with fine grass and a few feathers. The eggs are pure 

 white, and measure — (i) .62 x .44 ; (2) .64 x .45 ; (3) .65 x .45 ; 

 (4) .64 x .46 inch. 



POEPHILA PERSONATA (Masked Grass-Finch). 



Cat. B. Brit. Mus., vol. xiii., p. 2,yy ; Gould's Handbook, vol. i., p. 

 423, sp. 262. 



Three nests of this bird were obtained, on 24th January, 3rd 

 and 5th February. They are bulky, and loosely constructed of 

 coarse grass, lined principally with feathers of cockatoos, 

 parrots, emus, &c., and measure externally 6 inches high by 4 

 inches wide; nesting chamber 2^ inches high by i]/^ inches 

 wide. Two were built in low-growing shrubs and one in long 

 grass. The eggs are white, and elongated in form, the dimen- 

 sions being — (i) .61 x .43, (2) .63 x .42, (3) .61 x .43, (4) .66 

 X .43, (5) .62 X .43, (6) .61 X .43 inch. 



POEPHILA MIRABILIS (Gouldian Grass-Finch). 



Cat. B. Brit. Mus., vol. xiii., p. 378 ; Gould's Handbook, vol. i., p. 

 420, 421, sp. 259 and 260. 



This most beautiful of all Finches is found in Northern 

 Australia, and one of its nests was found on 17th December, 

 containing five eggs. It was built of coarse grass and situated 

 in a hollow at the end of a spout of a eucalyptus tree. The 

 eggs were white, and measure — (i) .66 x .46; (2) .68 x .48; (3) .6j 

 X .46 ; (4) .67 x .45 ; (5) .68 x .47 inch. 



Neochmia phaeton (Crimson Finch). 



Cat. B. Brit. Mus., vol. xiii., p. 389 ; Gould's Handbook, vol. i., p. 

 415, sp. 256. 



The nest of this beautiful bird is built of coarse grass, and 

 lined with the white downy seed-stem of some grass and a few 

 feathers, making a very soft nesting chamber. Measurements, 

 externally, 6 inches by 4 inches. The pure white eggs measure 

 —(I) .60 X .41 ; (2) .62 X .44; (3) .62 X .43 ; (4) .60 X .43 inch. 



^GOTHELES NOV^-HOLLANDI^ (Little Nightjar). 



Cat. B. Brit. Mus., vol. xvi., p. 657 ; Gould's Handbook, vol. i., p. 

 79, 80, sp. 38 and 39. 



Two nests of Little Nightjars were found in hollows in 

 branches of eucalyptus trees ; in one case there were a few 

 leaves at the bottom of the hole, and in the other a few shreds 

 of grass. The eggs are pure white, and when rubbed together 

 produce a sound like china, similar to Quails' eggs. The 

 dimensions are — (i) 1.17 x .88 ; (2) 1.16 x .89 ; (3) 1.15 x .90 

 inches. The dates were 20th September and 15th October. 



EURYSTOMUS AUSTRALIS (Roller or DoUar-Bird). 



Cat. B. Brit. Mus., vol. xvii., p. 36 ; Gould's Handbook, vol. i., 

 p. 119, sp. 59. 



These birds soon attract one's attention when in their neigh- 



