^°igio^'l Jackson, Description of two New Nests and Eggs. ■ 137 



They are stout ovals in shape, the surface of the shell being 

 very fine and glossy. The three eggs are very uniformly 

 marked, and measure as follows : — (rt)o.85 x 0.67, [b) 0.89 x 0.67, 

 {c) 0.85 X 0.66 inch. 



Observation. — Writing to Mr. H. L. White on the new and 

 interesting find, Mr. F. L. Whitlock states : — " To-day (23rd 

 August, 1909) I planned to have a thorough search in the 

 'favourite place for the nest of this species. I picked up a stick 

 and systematically beat the bushes and every tuft of spinifex. 

 I had nearly gone through the most likely tract of ground when 

 I spied what looked like the rim of a nest in a thick salt-bush. 

 I parted the branches, and there was a fine open cup-shaped nest, 

 with three handsome eggs, of a character totally new to me ; 

 they resembled large eggs of Artamus venustus or giant eggs of 

 Xerop/ula, but the markings are more vinaceous. This was a 

 puzzle. There was not a bird about whose eggs I thought I did 

 not know. As for Amytornis, all the time I have been looking 

 for a semi-domed structure or something akin to it ; this nest 

 was massive and cup-shaped. The only thing to do was to 

 watch. I walked away, and was about to sit down, when I 

 heard the alarm note of Amytorms, promptly replied to by the 

 other partner; I knew what I had then found. However, the 

 sitting bird would not go on, so I decided to finish my work in 

 another locality, and then return, and, if necessary, spend the 

 day in watching. I came back in about two hours' time, and, 

 the ground being sandy, I came very stealthily up to the bush 

 and peeped into the nest ; there sat an Aviytornis. Of course, 

 the bird was off in an instant, but I saw sufficient to prove it to 

 be the male bird of Milligan's Aniytornis giganturay 



Description of a New Acanthiza. 



By Edwin Ashby, Blackwood, South Australia. 



Acanthiza (Geobasileus) flaviventris, sp. nov. (Plain- 

 fronted Tit). 



Adult. — General colour above buff-brown ; lesser, median, and 

 greater wing coverts drab-brown, centres broadly margined with 

 tjuff; primaries drab, narrowly margined with yellow, becom- 

 ing a mere line towards extremities, but tipped with buff; 

 secondaries, outer broadly margined v/ith yellow, inner with buff. 

 Tail blackish-brown, inner web shading to drab at base; 

 inner web narrowly edged with whitish-buff, the outer web edged 

 with yellow, which broadens at the base. Two central feathers 

 pale brown at tip, others with a large white spot near extremity 

 on inner web, shading to buff at tip ; upper tail coverts yellow, 

 slightly shading to buff; lower rump buff. Lores and eyelids 

 buffish-white. Head. — The whole upper portion of head, neck. 



