Vol. II. 

 '1903 



1 I-E SOUEF, Birds -eggs from Northern Australia. IC3 



LiCMETIS NASICA (Long-billed Cockatoo, Corella). 



Cat. B. Brit. Mus.,vol. xx., p. 133 ; Gould's Handbook, vol. ii., p. 11, 

 sp. 95. 



Hollows in eucalyptus trees are the nesting-places of these 

 birds, and they frequently nest in company, two or three being 

 in one tree. The eggs are small, compared with the size of the 

 bird, and are white and finely pitted. Two clutches of two each 

 measure — A, (i) 1.52 x 1.12, (2) 1.58 x 1.14; B, (i) 1.52 x 1.06. 

 (2) 1.49 X I. II inches. They were taken in April and May. 



Ptistes ekythropterus, sub-species coccineopterus (Crim- 

 son-winged Lory). 



Cat. B. Brit. Mus., vol. xx., p. 481 ; Gould's Handbook, vol. ii., p. 39, 

 sp. 411. 



This bird is one of our most beautiful Parrots. It nests in 

 the hollow spouts in eucalyptus trees, laying its white eggs on 

 the decomposed wood. Several nests were found, all in January. 

 The eggs are oval in form, and measure — A, (i) 1.17 x i.oi, 

 (2) 1.20 X i.o ; B, (i) 1. 15 X .98, (2) 1. 12 X .99 inches. 



PSEPHOTUS PULCHERRIMUS (Beautiful Parrakeet), 



Cat. B. Brit. Mus., vol. xx., p. 564 ; Gould's Handbook, vol. ii., p. 67, 

 sp. 429. 



This lovely bird generally pierces a tunnel in the termites' 

 mounds on the ground, in open forest country, and makes a 

 chamber of considerable size, the honeycombed structure being 

 easily hollowed out. The eggs are pure white, slightly glossy, 

 somewhat oval, and measure — (i) .85 x .70; (2) .78 x .66; (3) 

 .72 X .6"] ; (4J .72 X .68 ; (5) .80 x .68 inch. This clutch was 

 found on loth December. 



Ptilopus EWINGI (Rose-crowned Fruit-Pigeon). 



Cat. B. Brit. Mus., vol. xxi., p. 96 ; Gould's Handbook, vol. ii., p. 107, 

 sp. 452. 



This bird was found breeding in the mangroves alongside 

 tidal rivers. The nests are very fragile, the single &g^ easily 

 displaced. The birds, being green in colour, when sitting on 

 their nest, almost at the end of a branch, among the green leaves, 

 are very difficult to detect. The &gg is pure white, slightly 

 glossy, the smaller end being often more pointed than usual. 

 Three nests were found, one in January and two in February. 

 The eggs measure — A, 1.25 x .84; B, 1.2 1 x .80; C, 1.19 x 

 .80 inches. 



Myristicivora spilorrhoa (Nutmeg Pigeon). 



Cat. B. Brit. Mus., vol. xxi., p. 231 ; Gould's Handbook, vol. ii., 

 p. 114, sp. 457. 



These birds as a rule nest in large companies in the small 

 islands off the north coast of Queensland, but occasionally they 

 may be found breeding in pairs on the mainland. Their nest is 



