together, one above the other against the trunk. In large hollow trees as 

 many as seven or eight nests may be found in the same cavity. 



From four to six eggs are laid, which vary considerably in size, shape, 

 and in the character of the markings. The ground colour varies from pale 

 bluish green to almost white, spotted and blotched with dark brown and 

 greenish brown markings, and a few faint violet grey under-markings. On 

 some specimens the markings are fairly large, and chiefly on the larger end of 

 the egg, sometimes forming a zone round it ; other specimens have the spots 

 small, and distributed pretty evenly over the entire surface; while on some 

 eggs the markings are entirely absent. They vary from 1-5 to 1*3 inch in 

 length, and from ri to '9 inch in breadth. Very small eggs are occasionally 

 found. 



The young birds are tended by their parents long after they have left the 

 nest and can fly, and the old birds may be seen feeding them in the fields, 

 the young birds flapping their wings and ' keeaw, keeaw-\ng in anticipation of 

 some choice morsel. 



2 S 



'57 



