y2 Campbell, A Commonwealth Collection. [isf"oct 



the scarce Ardea siimatnuui ((ireat-billed Heron), taken in Aus- 

 tralia ; then there are those eggs of the much-abused (for feminine 

 fashion) White Herons (Egrets), round in form and dehcate 

 greenish-bhie in hue, as spotlessly perfect as the parents them- 

 selves. 



In keeping with the surpassing excellence of the collection, the 

 clutches of Quails (or Quails so-called) are very full. One Swamp- 

 Quail {Svnoiciis australis) clutch has a maximum complement of 

 fourteen eggs, and one of its Tasmanian ally (S. diemenensis) has 

 a splendid set of thirteen, while the sets (five) of the Least Swamp- 

 Quail [Excalf actor ia australis) appear rich in darker olive colouring. 

 The unique Plain-Wanderer [Pedionomus torqiiatus) has such 

 remarkably shaped eggs that one is figured on pi. xii., fig. ii. 



From an oological point of view there are many object lessons 

 to be learnt in the study of the Rallina (Rails). The pearly and 

 pink eggs of Amaiirornis decide it to be a Rail rather than a 

 Gallinule, and the two Native-Hens [Tribonyx) might be generic- 

 ally separated, while the olive-like eggs of Porzana palustris (pi. 

 xii., fig. 4) should be differentiated from the Rail-like eggs of the 

 Spotted Crake {P. fluminea)* 



The eggs, in quartets, of the Jacana {Parra gallinacea), rich stone 

 colour with interlacing loops and linear markings, much resemble 

 polished agates (see pi. xiii., fig. 8). 



Grebes (family Podicipedidce) are well represented by chalky- 

 surfaced specimens in various shades of staining according to the 

 length of incubation or the number of times the eggs have been 

 covered with wet weeds when the birds went " from home." 



There is a realm of romance about the many sea-birds', especially 

 the Terns' (Sternince). The writer's own recollections of the far- 

 famed Abrolhos Shoals awake as splendid series of " Sooties' " 

 {Onychoprion fuliginosa) and the "Noddies'" {A nous stolidus Sind 

 A. melanops), are reviewed, not to mention the common Crested 

 Tern's {Sterna cristata), with endless variety of hieroglyphic 

 markings, and the doublets of the Graceful Tern {S. gracilis), that 

 are dumped on grey, dead coral strands. 



Gulls' eggs are familiar objects, but the interest of the series of 

 Silver Gulls' (Lariis novce-hollandice) is enhanced by remarkable 

 mutations of reddish colouring and bluish. 



Some of the chalk-encrusted eggs of Gannets (SiilidcB) are much 

 stained — some strikingly so, being rusty-red, soiled by earth com- 

 posed of oxidized iron. Other specimens show their limy surface 

 has been nibbled by crabs. 



Of the great order of ProciUariiformes, or Petrel-like birds, the 

 various Albatrosses and Petrels' eggs are exceedingly fascinating, 

 with the suggestive musty odour of some, from far-away bald 

 and bleak islets in Southern Seas. An egg of the Cape Petrel 

 {Daption capensis) comes from Laurie Islands, collected by a 



* Previously mentioned in " Another Decade Austr. Oology," Emu, vol. 

 iii., p. I 71. 



