BY E. P. RAMSAY, ESQ. 313 



The matter forming the preceding paragraphs has been for 

 the most part extracted from Gould's " Birds of Australia." I 

 have, however, thought it desirable to introduce them here in 

 order to afford a general view of the character of Australian 

 Ornithology. 



Now, while so much has been said about the birds themselves, 

 I find that their habits and economy as connected with their nidi- 

 fication, are but imperfectly understood, and that the nests and 

 eggs even of many of our most common species, remain still 

 un described. 



It is this part of our Ornithology then, viz. : The " Oology of 

 our Australian Birds," to which I intend paying particular 

 attention, for indeed there is little or no hope of finding new 

 species within a considerable distance of Sydney. I have fre- 

 quently heard it regretted that collections of Australian birds' 

 eggs are not more numerous ; and that those which are occasion- 

 ally made, seldom contain more than fifty or sixty species. Most 

 of our birds have the credit of only laying two eggs at a sitting ; 

 though even if such were the case, they make up for this short- 

 coming by having two or three broods in the year. I find, however, 

 that three eggs, are upon the average, laid by our birds. The 

 Honey-eaters lay two or three ; the Acanthizce, Maluri, and 

 Chthonicola three or four ; Larks three. The Quails are great 

 layers ; the Parrots also, often lay from eight to ten eggs ; 

 most of the King-fishers lay four or five ; and the Finches six or 

 eight. 



Many of the nests of our birds are most beautiful, and as well 

 worth collecting as the eggs. Nothing can surpass the neat- 

 ness, warmth, and at the same time, the strength of the nests of 

 some of our Acanthizce. And it is not less interesting to observe 

 the peculiar structure and material used in the formation of those 

 of the White-winged chough, (Corcorax leucopterus) and of the 

 Grallina, which are composed of mud with grass to strengthen 

 them, a compost which will harden in time to an almost incredible 

 degree, when exposed to the rays of the sun. Upon one occa- 

 sion, I threw one of the large basin- shaped nests of the Chough to 

 the ground from a height of more than thirty feet without its 

 breaking. 



