304 Dr. Emil A. Goeldi on the Nesting of 



rufous colour, resembling drops o£ dried blood. Neither the 

 former nor the latter markings can be effaced by washing 



Fig. 2. 



Egg- of Nyctibius jcanaicensis. 



with spirit ; they belong properly to the eg^, which is of a 

 very elegant shape. 



Burmeister gives the following measures for the e^^ of 

 Nyctibius grandis : — 60 mm. longitudinal axis, 42 ram. trans- 

 verse axis. These measures are those of a larger egg, but 

 the relative proportions which determine the general shape 

 of the egg agree pretty Avell, being in both cases almost 

 exactly 4'3. The assertion of the boy that he saw the bird 

 standing upright on the top of t!ie stump, so that he at first 

 took the bird for an elongation of it, deserves attention, 

 as agreeing perfectly with what I always heard from 

 persons well acquainted wdth the habits of the " Urutaos.'^ 



If these birds are rarely met with during the day, even 

 in the region where they do not seem to be at all rare, 

 it is evidently due to the highly protective position they 

 assume, a position so admirably in conformity with the 

 general colour and character of the bird that I think it to 

 be one of the most interesting facts in natural history. The 

 authentic fact here stated is a new proof of the supposition 

 that the Nydibii breed on suitable places on tree-branches, 

 stumps, &c., while the smaller Goatsuckers probably all nest 



