Vol. II. 

 1903 



J Le Souef, Birds' -eggs front Northern Ait str alia. ^ SS 



Megapodius duperreyi (Scrub Fowl). 



Cat. B. Brit. Mus., vol. xxii., p. 454 ; Gould's Handbook, vol. ii., 

 p. 167, sp. 478. 



This bird is found right across Northern Australia, near the 

 coast, in suitable country, and its large mound, composed of 

 leaves, sticks, and soil, is built in the dense scrub. The usual 

 clutch is ten, but the numbers vary. They are pink, which if 

 scraped off (easily done), shows a white surface. Three found 

 in one mound on 13th November measure — (i) 3.50 x 2.16; 

 (2) 3.30 X 2.20; (3) 3.52 X 2.19 inches. The shells occasionally 

 have small limy concretions on them. 



Synoecus australis (Brown Quail). 



Cat. B. Brit. Mus., vol. xxii., p. 247 ; Gould's Handbook, vol. ii., 

 p. 195, sp. 487-489, and 490. 



These birds are plentiful in the Northern Territory, and many 

 of their nests were found, but all in January, and the full clutch 

 seems to be eleven eggs. They have a strong shell, when 

 rubbed together sound like rough china, and are sharply com- 

 pressed at the small end. Some are white, others greyish-white 

 with very faint, fine markings of light brown, and others with 

 the numerous freckles of a darker brown shade. The eggs of a 

 clutch vary very little in size. The measurements given are of 

 five eggs from five different clutches — A, 1.15 x .92 ; B, 1.08 x 

 .88 ; C, 1. 14 X .90 ; D, 1.16 x .91 ; E, 1.13 x .86 inches. 



EXCALFACTORIA CHINENSIS, sub-species LINEATA (Chestnut- 

 bellied Quail). 



Cat B. Brit. Mus., vol. xxii., p. 253 ; Gould's Handbook, vol. ii., 

 p. 197, sp. 491. 



Two nests of this bird, containing three eggs each, were found 

 on 20th February and 7th May. The eggs are light olive-brown, 

 thickly speckled with very dark olive-brown markings and light- 

 coloured lines on, which look like scratches. The nest was a 

 shallow hollow, lined with a small quantity of grass, alongside a 

 tussock of grass. The eggs measure — (i) .93 x .y6; (2) .95 x 

 •75 ; (3) -93 X .76 inch. 



TuRNix VELOX (Little Quail). 



Cat. B. Brit. Mus., vol. xxii., p. 553 ; Gould's Handbook, vol. ii., 

 p. 184, sp. 483. 



These little birds seem very plentiful near Port Darwin, and 

 many of their nests were discovered. Four eggs are the full 

 clutch. They are slightly glossy, creamy-white in colour, and 

 very thickly freckled with markings of olive-brown. Most 

 of the eggs have larger markings also of very dark brown, 

 almost black, most plentiful on the larger end. Four eggs out 

 of four clutches measure — A, .88 x .y6\ B, .89 x .y6; C, .88 x 

 .74 ; D, .86 X .70 inch. Four clutches were found in January, 

 one in April, and one in May. 



