^O Campbell, A Commonwealth Collection. [isf"oct 



through thoughts of fern-gulhes full of the fragrance of wattle 

 and of sassafras, where they build — the Lyre-Birds {Menura) 

 with their single elliptical, purplish egg, the Pilot-Bird (Pycnop- 

 tilus), with its leaden-coloured pair (pi. xiii., fig. lo), and the 

 mimicking Scrub-Bird (Atrichornis), which wakes up the sylvan 

 solitudes with loud, resounding calls, and lays its precious pair 

 in a nest lined with papier-mache. The only two nests yet dis- 

 covered were found by the perseverance of Mr. S. W. Jackson. 

 For character of eggs see pi. xiii., fig. g. 



Pittas' eggs are in complements of threes or fours, excellent in 

 appearance, being round, pearly, and prettily spotted. 



The socialistic Corcorax (White-winged Chough) has the com- 

 pleted number (seven) to the set. In one nest kept under 

 observation five eggs were deposited in three days. The Shining 

 Starling, or Calornis {Aplonis mctallica), is another socialistic bird, 

 nesting in companies, although not laying in one nest. Selected 

 sets of eggs (four) are light green and pink-spotted — rare objects 

 of delicate beauty. 



The Rifle-Birds (Ptiloris) and Trumpet-Bird, or Manucode 

 {Phonygama goiildi) — really Birds-of-Paradise — possess most beau- 

 tiful eggs, and the Belltrees collection is rich with rare specimens. 

 Those of the Manucode are spotted and pink-striped (pi. xiii., 

 fig. i), whereas those of the Rifles are striped — some from end to 

 end — with reddish-chestnut or olive, as if hand-painted with a 

 fine brush (pi. xiii., figs. 2 to 4 : and for picture of the nest and 

 eggs of Victoria Rifle-Bird see Emu, vol. viii., pi. xxxv.) 



Streperas, or Bell-Magpies, are unusually well represented, 

 making a large and most interesting series, the rich chocolates of 

 S. graculina being particularly striking, while one type resembles 

 in an extraordinary degree those of the common Magpie 

 {Gvmnorhina) . 



The greens, mottled and splashed with sepia, of the Crows and 

 Raven (Corvus), common as they are, always please one. There 

 are many sets of sixes, and in one instance seven, all true ovals in 

 shape. A large collection of both birds' demonstrates the fact 

 that the Crows' are pale-coloured (bluish ground), while the Ravens' 

 are darker (more greenish ground). 



Grass- Warblers' (Cisticola) and Grass-Birds' (Megaliiri) are 

 contrasts in colour, the eggs of the former being greenish, slightly 

 spotted, the latter exceedingly pretty, spotted with pink. 



The Shrike-Thrushes' eggs {Colluricindce) form one of the " sights 

 of the show," being comparatively large, of pearly appearance, 

 and slightly spotted ; but the markings on C. howeri are somewhat 

 red (see pi. xii., fig. 3). 



Eggs of Australia's feathered favourites — the Magpies (Gym- 

 norhina) — furnish three well-filled drawers, making a marvellous 

 series, which could not be surpassed, of chiefly reds on greenish 

 grounds. Those of the Western form (G. dor salts), however, are 

 the most uniform, as has been stated by Mr. White himself {vide 

 Emu, vol. xiii., ]). 48). and the most l)ril]iant (reddish) of the tribe 



