jA^ Campbell, Annotations. [isi^'jan. 



armed with a 20-foot bamboo, and accompanied by two boys, I 

 determined to secm-e a clutch of these rare eggs if possible. I 

 found the nest to be about 35 feet up in an apple {Angophora) 

 tree, on a very thin horizontal limb, projecting over a precipice 

 which formed one side of a scrubby, rocky ravine — a most 

 dangerous position for climbing. I sent one of the boys up a 

 limb overlooking the nest, and was agreeably surprised upon 

 hearing him exclaim — 'Four eggs,* and one of them a whopper.' 

 The second boy and the scoop were now sent up. No. i boy 

 could not manage the long rod by himself, so No. 2 assisted. 

 After half an hour's hard work the four eggs were safely landed 

 and the nest secured. During the operation both birds continued 

 to fly about quite close to us, uttering their loud, harsh cries of 

 alarm or anger. 



" Of some dozens of Strepera gracitliua nests observed in this 

 locality, I have not seen one in a reasonably accessible position ; 

 the few clutches of eggs obtained were taken with great difficulty, 

 and always by the aid of a very long scoop-rod." 



CoLLOCALiA FRANCiCA (Grey-rumped Swiftlet). — One of the most 

 important oological items of the season has been the discovery by 

 Mr. E. J. Banfield of a colony of these vSwiftlets nesting in a cavern 

 on his verdure-clad islet — Dunk — near Cardwell, North Queensland, 

 the very island where Macgillivray in the Rattlesnake procured a 

 bird many years ago.. Subsequently, similar birds were obtained 

 on the mainland opposite, and named by Dr. E. P. Ramsay 

 C. terrcB-regincB. This name may stand yet. 



Nest. — Small, basket shaped, composed of fine dry grass and 

 thread-like fibre, sometimes a few feathers or pieces of green moss 

 added, all firmly cemented together and adhering by the side to 

 the wall of a cave. Dimensions, 2 to 2| inches across by about 

 |-inch deep. 



Egg. — Clutch, one ; elliptical in shape ; texture of shell very 

 fine ; surface slightly glossy ; colour pure white. Dimensions in 

 inches — {a) .81 x .5 ; {b) .82 x .53. 



Mr. Banfield has obligingly forwarded the following interesting 

 observations : — " My discovery this day (18/11/08) of a colony of 

 the Grey-rumped Swiftlet enables me to send by parcel post nests 

 (2), eggs (3), and unhatched chick in formalin solution. On 17th 

 September last (as I advised you) I found an incomplete nest in a 

 gloomy cave on one of the highest points of the island, from which 

 fragment you guessed the identity of the builder. A succession of 

 adverse circumstances prevented further investigations until 

 to-day. I was fearful that the breeding season in the meantime 

 might have passed ; but, as the birds are among the permanent 

 residents, I concluded that a sample of a complete nest might be 

 procured, even though the rearing of families was over. 



*In "Nests and Eggs" (p. 58) I give the clutch for this species as 2-3. The 

 maximum should be raised to 4, since Mr. White observed several other nests con- 

 taining that number. 



