^°i9i^ ] White, New Nests and Eggs from N .W . Australia. 133 



towards an isolated mangrove bush some 60 yards away. The 

 water was too deep to wade to the nest, so I decided to return 

 on the following morning, when the tide would be out. A photo- 

 graph of the eggs and nest {in situ) was taken on the following 

 day, and the eggs secured, but to my disgust they were already 

 chipped on my arrival at camp. Similar methods were employed 

 in locating the nest of the next pair of birds until the attacj<s of 

 mosquitoes and sand-flies became unbearable, and then abandoned 

 in favour of a tree to tree search as the tide permitted, and on 

 2nd March, 1910, after examining a considerable area in this 

 fashion, the nest was found in a dense mangrove bush, 3 feet above 

 spring tide level, and two eggs in a somewhat advanced state of 

 incubation were taken. A second nest commenced on this date 

 was abandoned. Another pair of birds were heard in a thick, 

 stunted patch of mangroves, where it was impossible to watch 

 their movements. Dividing the surrounding area into rough 

 blocks, a careful search was made of every tree until the nest, 

 containing two fresh eggs, was found (26th March, igio). This 

 nest was built in a small dead mangrove bush 3 feet above water 

 level, and almost hidden by leaves of neighbouring bushes. 



Dimensions of nests in inclies : — (a) Outside — length 3, breadth 

 2|, depth 2yV ; inside — length, 2t^V» breadth i|, depth i^^^. {b) Out- 

 side — ^length 2 1, breadth 2^, depth 2| ; inside — length 2|, breadth 

 i|, depth I. 



The food consists entirely of minute crabs, shell-fish, crustaceans, 

 and a species of small black ant, which is plentiful on the man- 

 groves.] 



Lavender-flanked Wren {Mahirus dulcis). 



Nest. — Dome-shaped, and similar to those of the other members 

 of the genus. 



Eggs. — Three in number, and closely resemble those of M. cyano- 

 chlamys. Ground colour of a very delicate pinkish-white. Shell 

 fine, but with very little gloss. Specimens b and c are marked 

 all over, and particularly at the larger end, with small spots and 

 minute specks of dull reddish-brown, while specimen a, which is 

 covered with small spots of the same colour, is heavily blotched 

 at the larger apex with markings of a much darker reddish-brown 

 than is the case with the other two specimens. The eggs are stout 

 ovals in shape, and measure as follows : — {a) 0.62 x 0.51, (b) 0.62 x 

 0.49, (c) 0.63 x 0.50 inch. 



[The habitat of this species, so far as my observations went, is 

 restricted to the rocky sandstone country near the eastern side 

 of Napier Broome Bay. September and the early part of October 

 appears to be the general nesting season. One set of three eggs 

 was the only result of many careful searches during the latter 

 part of October, November, and December, 1909. After the 

 nesting season these birds are generally seen in parties of from 

 6 to 10 birds, the latter number being somewhat unusual. One 

 party of 10 birds contained 5 adult males, one moulting and 4 dull- 



