414 Mr. E. Gibson on the Omithulogy of [Ibis, 



Leiiatero's nest wedged into two of the cross-spars near the 

 top, making further ascent difficult ; I have also found a 

 nest ill ;in old bucket, which happened to be hung on a post. 

 I have an impression that the nest of this species is haunted 

 by ail evil-looking fly^ which I have never observed else- 

 where — somewhat larger than a house-fly and yellow- 

 banded. 



The Dest itself is fully described by Hudson. Those I 

 have examined were chiefly situated in small Tala trees^ at 

 about six, or eight feet from the ground, and were selected 

 for that reason, as being easily bent down for the purpose. 

 The spiral passage is both narrow and thorny, hence my 

 usual procedure consisted in cutting through into the base, 

 where the egg-chamber is to be found ; by doing so with 

 care, the damage is not irreparable, in case of there being 

 no eggs or the alternative of nestlings. 



In this locality, building begins as early as 15 August ; 

 what would seem to be repairs of old nests, not till the 

 beginning of October. It must be borne in mind that 

 the nest and its tree constitute the headquarters of the 

 life-pairing birds. Frequenting the open bare campo, in 

 a radius of a very few hundred yards, they make a straight 

 bee-line for home on being disturbed, to the accompaniment 

 of their rolling note " chic-chic-churrrr." 



Eggs are laid from 3 October to early December, the first 

 month embracing the general period, which, for the builder 

 of a structure of this nature, seems undoubtedly early, if it 

 is borne in mind that the Green Parrakeet {Bolborhynchus 

 monachus Bodd.) — also a chamber-nest twig-builder — does 

 not lay until the end of December. True, the latter does 

 not line its al)ode, whereas the Wood-gatherer is most snug 

 in its domestic arrangements. 



Four eggs has been my general clutch, very rarely five. 

 In colour pale creamy white, and averaging 24 x 17 mm. 



210. Phacellodomus striaticoUis (d'Orb. et Lafr.). Red- 

 winged Thorn-bird. 



Hudson's mention of this species is only characterized by 



