153 



Fitzroy and Margaret Rivers. The wings of adults measure from 

 2-8 to 3 inches. 



A nest of this species taken near the Fitzroy River in February, 

 1897, is attached on one side to a thin leafy twig of a species of 

 Bauhinia, probably B. Hookeri, Mr. Fred Turner, F.R.H.S., 

 kindly informs me. It is a deep cup-shaped structure, one side 

 of it being considerably higher than the other, and is outwardly 

 formed of very line bark fibre, a small quantity of grass, and the 

 outer covering of some composite plant, firmly matted and held 

 together, the inside being neatly lined with fiiie dried grasses. On 

 one side it measures exteriorly i\ inches, on the other 2| inches ; 

 inside diameter, 2 inches. The eggs are two or three in number 

 for a sitting, and are extremely variable in size, shape, disposi- 

 tion, and colour of their markings. The most common type is 

 elongate-oval in form, white, with small irregular-shaped spots 

 and dots of rich-red or pinky-red evenly distributed over the 

 entire surface of the shell, and closely resemble the eggs of 

 Gerygone albiguhiris^ or Malurus cyaneus. Two sets of three 

 each measure as follows : — Length, (A) 0-74 x 0*5 inch, (B) 0-76 

 X 0-51, (C) 0-73 X 0-5, (D) 077 x 0-54, (E) 0-68 x 0-53, (F) 0-73 

 X 0"5. A set of two are nearly round, and measure (A) 0*63 x 

 0-53, (B) 0-67 X 0-55. Another type has a zone on the larger 

 end formed of large confluent dull-red blotches, and resembles 

 some varieties of the eggs of Malurus lamherti or 31. longicaudus. 

 A third has the pure-white ground colour sparingly dotted and 

 spotted with purplish-black, and in some specimens a few large 

 penumbnd markings of purplish-red on the larger ends, and 

 resemble the e^gs of Glyciphila modesta or Ephthianura albifrons. 

 A set of two measures, (A) 0'68 x 048 inch, (B) 067 x 0-47. 



[Near the Fitzroy River these birds were numerous. They 

 were very active, and when seeking for insects amongst the long 

 grass, or in the foliage of the various trees, kept up an incessant 

 chatter, chasing each other or attacking birds of other species 

 which happened to intrude on any bush on which they were 

 feeding. They evince a decided liking for the small black fig, 

 and also to shelter themselves from the sun amongst its foliage. 

 At nesting time, which is immediately after rain in January or 

 February, they become very tame and fearless. On several 

 occasions I stood under a Bauhinia-tree, and watched them build- 

 ing their nests within five feet of my face. The nest, which is 

 deep, cup-shaped, is always suspended by one side of the rim to 

 the end of some slender twig, seldom more than six feet high, 

 but on one occasion a pair built fully twenty feet from the ground 

 in a Eucalypt at our camp. The nests were all built so that they 

 could swing with the wind, and were constructed principally of 

 fine grass. The eggs show great variation in colour and mark- 



