Vol. II. 

 ■ 1903 



j Le SoueF, Birds' -eggs from Northern Atistralia. I^Q 



PODICEPS NOV/E-HOLLANDIyE (Black-throated Grebe). 



Cat. B. Brit. Mus., vol. xxvi., p. 519; Gould's Handbook, vol. ii., 

 p. 513, sp. 667. 



Two floating nests of these birds were found, one on 24th 

 March, and the other on 8th April, containing three and two 

 eggs respectively. The nests were, as usual, built of green water 

 weeds in a swamp, very little above the level of the water. The 

 eggs are white when first laid, but soon become a kind of stone 

 colour, being stained by the wet weed of which the nest is com- 

 posed. They are elongated, and measure — (i) 1.50 x .91 ; (2) 

 1.38 X .92 ; (3) 1.39 X .95 inches. 



Anseranas semipalmata (Pied Goose). 



Cat. B. Brit. Mus., vol. xxvii., p. 44; Gould's Handbook, vol. ii., 

 p. 352, sp. 579. 



These birds are plentiful in the Northern Territory, where 

 they have not been much disturbed by man, and many of their 

 nests were found, generally situated on the masses of bulrushes 

 that lie over and form a kind of platform above the water, the 

 nests themselves being made of rushes and reeds. All the nests 

 were found in March, and the average clutch numbered ten 

 eggs. They are a light cream colour, slightly glossy and the 

 shell pitted. The older birds seem to lay larger eggs than those 

 breeding for the first time, and I now give the measurements of 

 half a clutch of the older birds and also half a clutch of the 

 younger ones : — Old — A, (i) 2.90 x 2.08, {2) 2.78 x 2.14, (3) 2.99 

 X 2.10, (4) 2.94 X 2.08,(5) 2.84 X 2. II inches. Young — B, (i) 

 2.48 X 1.90, (2) 2.73 X 1.93, (3) 2.76 X 2.0, (4) 2.80 X 1.94, 

 (5) 2.72 X 1.95 inches. 



Anas SUPERCILIOSA (Black Duck). 



Cat. B. Brit. Mus., vol. xxvii., p. 206; Gould's Handbook, vol. ii., 

 p. 363, sp. 585. 



These well-known birds are also plentiful, and seem to build in 

 various places — on the ground under shrubs, in hollows in trees, 

 or in old Crows' nests. The number of the clutch varies from 

 nine to twelve. The eggs are smooth, and of a greenish-cream 

 colour, and a clutch of five measures — (i) 2.13 x 1.60 ; (2) 2.16 

 X 1.63 ; (3) 2.30 X 1. 61 ; (4) 2.22 X 1.61 ; (5) 2.22 x 1.70 inches. 

 By far the larger number of clutches were found in May, but a 

 few in March and April. 



A CORTIESPONDENT, writing from Donnybrook, states that the 

 Laughing Jackasses which were liberated there some time back 

 have nested and have two young ones flying about with them. 

 It is the same case a few miles further off, where a small colony 

 of liberated Jackasses have established themselves, and are now 

 surrounded by their small ones. — West Australian, 10/12/02, 



