145 



returned to their nests immediately they were liberated. A.t Mr. 

 Harris's quarters that gentleman showed me an old nest fixed in 

 a bundle of wire hanging on the wall in his storeroom, which was 

 ^n enclosed galvanised-iron building without windows. The birds 

 had to enter under the corrugations in the iron in front, and fly 

 across the room. The birds usually disappear again as soon as 

 their young take wing. The material used for the exterior of 

 the nests is coarse outer blades of grass, so large that it is sur- 

 prising how they carry it, but the lining is fine and soft. Six 

 pure white eggs constitute the clutch. I never saw nests belong- 

 ing to this species on trees or bushes.] 



No. 35. Emblema picta (Painted Finch). 



Emhlema picta, Gould, Proc, Zool., Soc. (1842), p. 17; id., Bds. 

 Austr., fol., vol. Iir., pi. 97 (1848); Ramsay, Proc. Linn. Soc, 

 N.S.W., vol. I., 2nd series, p. 1,092 (1886); Sharpe, Cat. Bds. 

 Brit. Mus., vol. XIII., p. 295 (1890); North and Keartl., Rep. 

 Horn Sci. Exp., Centr. Austr., part II., Zool, p. 88(1896); 

 North, Rec. Austr. Mus., vol. III., p. 14 (1897), N.S.W. 



Four adult males, one female. Johanna Springs. 



During the prolonged drought of 1896 in New South Wales 

 thrne adult males of this species were obtained within 20 miles of 

 Sydney. 



[This rare Finch was first seen and shot at Johanna Springs, 

 where they came in company with the Chestnut-eared Finch to 

 quench their thirst. They were very shy, and single specimens 

 were only procured at the sacrifice of many of their companions. 

 They were afterwards seen near the hospital at Derby, and when 

 the steamer " Australind " was off" Broome five Painted and two 

 Chestnut-eared Finches perched in the rigging and kept flying 

 about the vessel for some time. They were seen in large flocks.] 



No. 36. Chlamydodera nuchalis (Great Bower-bird). 



Ptilonorhynchus nuchalis, Jard. and Selby, 111. Orn., vol. II., 

 pi. 103. 



Chlamydera nuchalis, Gould, Bds. Austr., fol., vol. IV,, pi. 9, 

 (1848). 



Chlainydodera nuchalis, Sharpe, Cat. Bds. Brit. Mus., vol. VI., 

 p. 391 (1881); Ramsay, Proc. Linn. Soc, N.S.W., vol. IL, 2nd 

 series, p. 169 (1887). 



Two fully adult females, two not adult females, one young 

 female. Camp about five miles from the junction of the Fitzroy 

 and Margaret Rivers. It is remarkable that all the specimens 

 obtained are females. It would be interesting to know if the 

 adult males of this species entirely lose their rose-pink nuchal 

 plumes for a period during the moulting season. 



