^°'ij^"''] Campbell, Antwlations. 1^3 



Mr. Whitlock (29/8/08), measure in inches respectively— 

 (I) .yz X .57 ; (2) .72 X .55 ; (3) .72 X .55-— A. J. C] 



Gymnorhina longirostris (Milligan), (Long-billed Magpie). — 

 Mr. White also exhibited at the above-mentioned session a series 

 of 10 sets of these new eggs — 2 singles, i pair, 4 each 3, and 3 

 each 4 — collected near the Coongan River, North-Western Austraha, 

 by Mr. Whitlock. There is not much variation in the eggs, which 

 mostly resemble the "c" variety* of G. tibiceti. Description. — 

 Ground colour greyish-green, moderately marked with roundish 

 blotches and spots of chestnut and purphsh-brown. In two sets 

 the markings almost covered the whole surface. Texture of 

 shell somewhat coarse, surface slightly glossy. Dimensions in 

 inches.— A— (I) 1.56 x i.i, (2) 1.53 x ^1.06, (3) 1.52 x 1.05, (4) 

 1.5 x 1.03 ; B— (I) 1.52 X 1.05, (2) 1.5 X 1.05, (3) 1.49 x 1.06. 



Pachycephala lanioides (White-bellied Thickhead). — In my 

 book (p. 328) I mentioned that Gould founded this species upon 

 a single specimen procured on the north-west coast, that no infor- 

 mation whatever had been (up to date) obtained respecting the 

 habits and nidification of this rare bird, and asked — " Who will be 

 the first field naturalist to fill up the hiatus ? " By the indomit- 

 able perseverance of Mr. Whitlock in wading through the pestilen- 

 tial mangrove quagmires of the North- West collecting for Mr. White 

 the question has been answered. 



Let Mr. Whitlock give his own interesting account : — 



"As far as my knowledge at present goes this appears to be a 

 coastal species. I have only met with it in the mangrove thickets 

 at Condon ; but on arrival at Port Hedland I slept on board a 

 small coasting boat in the estuary there, and at early dawn I 

 could hear the loud, joyous notes of this Thickhead from the 

 mangroves about a third of a mile away. 



"At Condon my attention was soon attracted by this bird; and, 

 being acquainted with the song of other species of Thickheads, 

 I had little doubt as to what class the bird belonged. There 

 is one main estuary running inland for perhaps a mile and a 

 half, but with numerous side creeks. The rise and fall of the 

 spring tides amounting to a little over 20 feet, the foreshores 

 of the beach and main creek are all lined with mangrove thickets, 

 and the same is the case with the banks of the tributary creeks. 

 But it is only in the estuary the present species is to be met with, 

 the mangroves of the open beach, despite their more extensive 

 area, being quite imtenanted. 



" On the eastern side of the estuary I commenced my search, as 

 I could hear the loud notes resounding from a thicket where the 

 mangroves were tall and more slender, and quite a quarter of a 

 mile away. To reach the spot it was necessary to cross the main 

 creek at low tide; and the slippery, tenacious mud made the 

 walking the reverse of pleasant. I tried to steal upon the songsters 



* See " Nests and Eggs," p. 291. 



