36 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



Tadorna kadjah, White-headed Sheldrake. 



An egg in Mr. Keartland's collection, taken on the 6th April, 

 1902, is a nearly true ellipse in form, the shell being close-grained, 

 very smooth, and lustrous. It is of a uniform pale cream or 

 creamy-white. Length, 2.48 x 1.68 inches. Two similar eggs in 

 Mr. French's collection, from the same set, measure — (a), 2.35 

 X 1.7 inches ; (b), 2.3 x 1.7 1 inches. 



Some South African Birds' Eggs. — Some particulars re- 

 specting the eggs exhibited this evening may be interesting. The 

 large eggs in the case are those of a bird commonly known 

 in the Transvaal as the Sooty Frog-wader. They were 

 taken on 24th August, 1901. The nest was built in an old 

 giant willow, about 40 ft. from the ground ; from a little 

 distance it looked very similar to that of our Wedge-tailed Eagle. 

 On reaching the nest I found it to be a covered-in one, the 

 entrance being on the side facing the east ; it was composed of 

 sticks, bamboos, &c. (to say nothing of two old socks), and 

 smelt very unpleasant. On removing the roof I exposed a 

 cavity of about a foot high and two wide ; it contained three ugly, 

 recently-hatched, violet-hued young and two addled eggs. The 

 young strongly protested against being handled, and made their 

 objections manifest by much squeaking and pecking. The 

 parent birds did not put in an appearance, although it was 

 evident that they had witnessed the transgression, for many shrill 

 notes issued from a neighbouring clump of bushes. There were 

 two more nests in adjacent trees; they had, to all appearance, 

 been used for several successive seasons. The greenish-blue 

 eggs are those of a bird commonly known as the Red Bishop- 

 bird, Pyromelana oryx. They were taken at Wilmansrust in the 

 Transvaal, the scene of the Victorians' disaster ; the nests were 

 built in some wattle trees, close by the graves of the fallen. This 

 handsome little scarlet and velvety-black bird is seldom found far 

 from marshy ground. It usually nests in colonies. The nests are 

 domed, and are woven out of grass, and are, as a rule, four or 

 five feet above the ground or water; the freshly-made nests are a' 

 bright green, but soon dry to a yellow colour. The colony 

 mentioned was of considerable extent ; roughly estimating, I 

 should say there were some 60 nests in about 40 square yards. 

 The nests contained from 3 to 11 eggs. The eggs vary a good 

 deal, even in the same nest. I found many freshly laid eggs on 

 the ground. Most of the other eggs in the case belong to 

 different species of Weavers ; they generally build their nests in 

 bushes overhanging a spruit (stream). — H. Ernest Gatliff. 

 Carlton, loth March, 1902. 



