﻿482 
  On 
  the 
  Ei/g 
  of 
  a 
  Paradise-bird. 
  

  

  the 
  eggs 
  of 
  Cj'ex 
  pratensis, 
  for 
  instance, 
  having 
  a 
  similar 
  

   appearance. 
  Tlie 
  shell 
  is 
  coarse, 
  with 
  fine 
  indentations 
  and 
  

   single 
  deep 
  pores, 
  as 
  in 
  Coracias 
  ; 
  it 
  is 
  everywhere 
  polished 
  

   and 
  glossy, 
  except 
  a 
  few 
  of 
  the 
  paler 
  and 
  smaller 
  spots, 
  

   which 
  are 
  dull 
  and 
  glossless. 
  The 
  ground-colonr 
  is 
  pale 
  

   pinkish- 
  bnff((/. 
  Ridgway^Nomencl.of 
  Col. 
  v. 
  14, 
  but 
  lighter), 
  

   longitudinally 
  streaked 
  and 
  spotted 
  over 
  the 
  greater 
  part 
  of 
  

   the 
  large 
  end. 
  The 
  darker 
  streaks 
  are 
  remarkable 
  for 
  their 
  

   length 
  (10-15 
  mm. 
  long, 
  2-4 
  mm. 
  broad, 
  or 
  even 
  narrower) 
  ; 
  

   the 
  deeper-lying 
  spots 
  are 
  rosy 
  grey, 
  the 
  darker 
  longitudinal 
  

   streaks 
  mostly 
  reddish 
  brown 
  (walnut-brown, 
  Ridgway, 
  pi. 
  iii. 
  

   7), 
  but 
  mixed 
  with 
  lighter 
  and 
  darker 
  tints. 
  There 
  are 
  several 
  

   very 
  dark 
  spots, 
  others 
  are 
  smaller 
  and 
  of 
  a 
  glossless 
  brownish 
  

   yellow 
  ; 
  others, 
  again, 
  of 
  this 
  same 
  colour 
  are 
  glossy. 
  The 
  

   small 
  end 
  of 
  the 
  egg 
  has 
  few 
  spots 
  ; 
  the 
  pole 
  of 
  the 
  large 
  end 
  

   is 
  almost 
  clear 
  of 
  spots. 
  

  

  The 
  form 
  is 
  ovate 
  (Ridgway, 
  xvi. 
  l),l)at 
  more 
  lengthened; 
  

   the 
  size 
  38 
  x 
  25*5 
  and 
  3G"5 
  x 
  25 
  mm., 
  and 
  the 
  weight 
  0*7 
  gr. 
  

   The 
  egg 
  of 
  P. 
  apoda 
  is 
  darker, 
  with 
  spots 
  of 
  the 
  same 
  

   colour, 
  but 
  with 
  much 
  broader 
  and 
  more 
  isolated 
  streaks 
  and 
  

   dashes, 
  and 
  the 
  space 
  round 
  the 
  pole 
  of 
  the 
  large 
  end 
  some- 
  

   what 
  spotted. 
  

  

  The 
  egg 
  of 
  P. 
  raggiana, 
  as 
  described 
  by 
  Ramsay 
  [I.s.c), 
  

   appears 
  to 
  be 
  of 
  a 
  similar 
  character. 
  

  

  The 
  two 
  eggs 
  described 
  and 
  figured 
  (Plate 
  XIII.), 
  each 
  

   from 
  two 
  sides 
  and 
  from 
  above, 
  were 
  taken 
  by 
  the 
  brothers 
  

   Geisler, 
  in 
  the 
  month 
  of 
  August 
  1890, 
  near 
  the 
  village 
  of 
  

   Jakema 
  on 
  the 
  Saddle 
  Mountain 
  (" 
  Sattelberg 
  "), 
  Huon 
  Gulf, 
  

   East 
  New 
  Guinea, 
  at 
  about 
  250-300 
  ms. 
  above 
  the 
  sea-level. 
  

   A 
  native 
  having 
  told 
  them 
  that 
  he 
  had 
  discovered 
  the 
  nest 
  of 
  

   a 
  Paradise-bird, 
  they 
  proceeded 
  to 
  the 
  spot, 
  but 
  found 
  the 
  

   tree 
  too 
  high 
  and 
  big 
  to 
  climb 
  it 
  themselves. 
  The 
  native, 
  

   however, 
  ascended 
  it 
  and 
  brought 
  down 
  two 
  eggs, 
  unfor- 
  

   tunately 
  leaving 
  the 
  nest 
  torn 
  to 
  pieces 
  between 
  the 
  twigs. 
  

   Several 
  females 
  fluttered 
  and 
  cried 
  around 
  while 
  the 
  native 
  

   was 
  thus 
  employed, 
  a 
  male 
  having 
  been 
  shot 
  just 
  before 
  ou 
  

   a 
  neighbouring 
  tree. 
  

  

  The 
  breeding-season 
  of 
  P. 
  anpistce-victoria 
  begins 
  in 
  July, 
  

  

  