272 Mr. E. P. Ramsay's Notes on Birds breeding 



MacGillivray, who procured them from one of the neighbouring 

 brushes. Mr. MacGillivray also sent me a skin of one of the 

 parent birds, proving that this rare species is to be found much 

 nearer Sydney than was expected ; for, until specimens had been 

 received at the Australian Museum from Mr. Rainbird, who 

 had procured them at Port Denison [cf. Ibis, 1865, p. 85), 

 Monarcha trivirgata was looked upon as a bird of the greatest 

 rarity. 



The nest is very similar, and similarly situated, to that of 

 M. carinata, but differs in being smaller and composed of finer 

 material ; in length it is 3*5 inches, by 2*5 in diameter at the 

 thickest part, and 1"25 in. deep. In this instance the nest was 

 placed in the upright fork of a small tree, about 6 feet from 

 the ground, and is composed of very fine fibrous roots, long 

 strings of green moss [Hypnum, sp.?), shreds of bark, and soft 

 silky down from the seed-pods of some of the native trees. The 

 whole is closely interwoven and made into a neat cup-shaped 

 structure, lined solely with fine black hair-like roots ; the edges 

 and parts of the outside are ornamented with a beautiful green 

 Hypnum and white cobwebs. Upon the whole the nest and eggs 

 bear a close resemblance to those of M. carinata ; but, unlike 

 all I have ever seen of this latter species, the nest of M. trivirgata 

 is not so entirely enveloped in green moss. The eggs, I believe, 

 were only two in number; they are in length '833 in., by '583 

 in breadth, having a pure white ground thickly sprinkled with 

 dots of bright reddish-browu crowded upon the thicker end, where 

 they form a blotch approaching more to salmon-colour. 



I have heard of no specimens of this species being found 

 nearer Sydney than at Grafton, although Monarcha carinata is 

 at times by no means rare with us. 



16. Pardalotus PTjNCTATUs, Temm. ; Gould, Handb, B. 

 Austral, i. p. 157. 



The Spotted Pardalote or Diamond-bird is common in all 

 parts of New South Wales, and plentifully dispersed over the 

 whole of the eastern and southern portions of the continent. 

 It may be found in the neighbourhood of Sydney throughout 

 the whole year, and during the winter months associates in 



