No. in 
A J. 
mpbell’s No. of 
Data Ca 
No. 
585 
586 
587 
588 
589 
Book. Eggs. 
438 84 
= 2 
436 6 
436 3 
45 4 
THE JACKSONIAN OOLOGICAL COLLECTION, 
PURPLE KINGFISHER, 
Alcyone pulchva, Gould. 
Set of 4 of these rare and pearly-white eggs. They were taken by my friend C. Woodlands, who, 
like E. Drew, has enriched this collection with many rare specimens from the Gulf of Carpentaria 
district of North-west Queensland. The nest was placed at the end of a tunnel, in the bank of a creek, 
in a thicket of small trees, on the banks of the Gregory River, North-west Queensland, on the 11th of 
September, 1896. Specimen A. measures = 0.88 x 0°73. 
TASMANIAN KINGFISHER, 
Alcyone azurea diemenensis, Gould. 
Pair of eggs, which were taken from a tunnel in the bank of a creek near Circular Head, Tasmania, 
by H. Ross, on the 17th of October, 1898. Three eggs were broken in digging out the nest, and these 
two escaped with slight injuries. Specimen A. measures = 0°93 x 0°73. Specimen B. measures = 
o'89 x 073. (A. J. Campbell includes this with A. azuvea. See Gould's handbook “ Birds of 
Australia,” Vol. i, page 141, spm. No. 70). 
BEE EATER, 
Merops ornatus, Latham. 
Fine clutch of 6 eggs, which are very round and pure white. Taken by Frank and Sid. W. Jackson, 
at Gerrymberrym, near South Grafton, Clarence River, N.S.W., on the 3rd of November, 1893. The 
nest was placed at the extremity of atunnel (4 feet long) dug into the sloping bank of a creek, the slope 
being a very gentle one, and placed at an angle of about twenty degrees. We have found the nests 
built in the upright banks of creeks, but the former situations, on a slope, were chiefly resorted to. 
Specimen A. measures = 0°84 x 0°75, while specimen F. measures = o'90 x 0°79. 
Three eggs, which were dug out of a sandy slope at Ourimbah Creek, near Cunningham’s Gully, 
Ourimbah, near Gosford, N.S.W. Taken by H. Blakeney and myself, on the 30th of November, 1905. 
As usual, the eggs were simply deposited on the sand in the round chamber at the end of the tunnel, 
which in this instance was only 30 inches long. These handsome birds often cover the bottom of the 
nest with a layer of wing cases (e/ytva) of beetles, before depositing their eggs. | Specimen A. measures 
= o’8I xX 0°72. 
Drawer FP. 
AUSTRALIAN RAVEN, 
Corone australis, Gould. 
(This bird is known to the aborigines of the Clarence River district as ‘‘ War-gen.") 
Set of 4 eggs, which were taken from the top of a tall Spotted Eucalypt (Eucalyptus maculata), at 
Ti Tree Creek, near South Grafton, N.S.W., on the 25th of September, 1894. The nest was placed 
roo feet from the ground, and was exceedingly difficult to climb to. These birds always selected 
the very tall trees in the Clarence River district, when building their nests, and the seven sets of eggs 
taken there by us, were all placed very high up, in rather dangerous positions for persons desirous 
of climbing to them. Taken by Frank and Sid. W. Jackson. Specimen A. measures = 1°88 x 1°18. 
My experience with this Crow on the coast of New South Wales, is that when building its nest it 
usually selects the highest tree on the highest hill, and very often the nest can only be reached by a 
person who is really expert at tree climbing. I have seen a nest placed at a height of 120 feet, and my 
brother has taken its eggs at this altitude. However, in the central and more western parts of New 
137 
