394 Mr. D. Le Souef on new or little-known 



a collecting tour in that district. He informs me that one 

 egg is the usual number laid, which agrees with the practice 

 of the allied Fruit-Pigeons. The nest was the usual light, 

 shallow structure, composed of a few twigs loosely laid 

 together and measuring six inches in diameter. It seems a 

 wonder the birds do not lose their eggs when flying off and 

 on such a flimsy structure. The egg is pure white, slightly 

 glossy, and nearly oval in form, though rather pointed at 

 the thinner end ; it measures 1*65 X 119 inch. 



4. Ptilinopus ewingi, Gould. Ewing's Fruit-Pigeon. 



I described the nest and eggs of this beautiful little Pigeon 

 about two years ago, but then had only a single egg. 

 Having now received several from Mr. H. G. Barnard, I am 

 enabled to give some more particulars. Mr. Barnard 

 found these birds breeding in the mangroves at Cape York, 

 and seldom saw them elsewhere. The nests were placed at 

 any height from four to thirty feet above the water, and 

 were generally found by the bird dashing off, as Mr. Barnard 

 ploughed through the mud up to his knees at every step, 

 harassed by millions of sand-flies. The small fragile nests 

 each contained only one white egg. The following are the 

 measurements of two taken: 1-29 X 87 inch and 1*14 X '83 

 inch. 



5. Craspedophoka alberti (Elliot). Prince Albert's 

 Bifle-bird. (Fig. 1, p. 395.) 



The eggs of this beautiful bird have been found this 

 season at Cape York by Mr. H. G. Barnard, wlio has been 

 collecting there for Dr. C. llyan. Dr. Snowball, and myself; 

 and I cannot do better than quote his own notes on the 

 subject, which are exceedingly interesting : — 



• " I found the first eggs of this bird on October 23rd, 1896, 

 near Somerset, Cape York. On that date two nests were 

 taken each containing two fresh eggs. The first (which I 

 forward for description) was built in a small palm, seven 

 feet from the ground : it was very loosely put together; 

 in fact, if onie is not very careful in taking such a nest it 

 would fall to pieces. As a rule the nests were placed in 



