THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST, 75 



It is true it only purports to be a catalogue of nests and eggs of 

 birds " found breeding in Australia and Tasmania." Why not of 

 Australian birds wherever they breed — whether the Albatrosses in 

 their far-off southern homes, or the Plovers that lay away north- 

 ward towards the arctic circle ? The nests and eggs of the 

 Australian Curlew and Australian Snipe are undiscovered yet. 

 When found, are they to be excluded from an Australian oology 

 because, perchance, they have been taken in Eastern Siberia or 

 Japan, whither it is known the birds resort ? 



Then, again, coming nearer home, there are many descriptions 

 of authenticated eggs of birds found breeding within Mr. North's 

 own prescribed limits, which have appeared in the proceedings of 

 this Club, and which if embodied in Mr. North's catalogue would 

 have undoubtedly increased its usefulness. Take, for instance, the 

 nest and eggs of the Uniform-coloured Honey-eater [Stomioioera 

 unicolor, Gould) from Northern Queensland, or the nest and 

 eggs of the most elegant of Honey-eaters— the Helmeted (Ptilotis 

 cassidix, Jardine), taken near Lilydale during the first camp-out of 

 the Club, November, 1884, or the pretty home and contents of 

 the rare White-bellied Robin (Eopsaltria leucogaster, Gould) 

 of Western Australia, whose generic appellation will have to be 

 altered in consequence of their discovery. Gould classed the 

 White-bellied Robin with the -Eopsalirice ; now it will have to 

 share with its dusky Tasmanian cousin the title Amaurodryas, 

 Thus the votaries of oology do claim to be of scientific importance 

 sometimes. Surely, then, a catalogue cannot be considered 

 complete up to date that excludes twenty or thirty such des- 

 criptions, and, moreover, of eggs known to collectors. When I 

 first heard of the " Catalogue " I communicated with Dr. Ramsay, 

 purely in the interests of Australian research, and, that the work 

 should be as complete as possible, offered to place my specimens — 

 in fact, the whole of my collection — at his disposal ; my offer, 

 however, was not acknowledged. 



This brings me to the conclusion of my article, and as I com- 

 menced with personal references, so likewise I propose to close it. 

 It is now twenty-five years since I took the field in earnest, my col- 

 lection numbering a total of 470 species of Australian eggs. I had 

 hoped to have obtained 500 in the quarter of a century; but it is 

 hard work when one nears the top of a hill. However, I have the 

 satisfaction of knowing, and can say without fear of contradiction, 

 it is the largest individual collection of purely Australian eggs in 

 the world. Moreover, I have not confined myself to speci- 

 mens only, but have collected every available data bearing 

 upon the nidification of our birds. Of course, both as regards 

 specimens and notes, I have been ably assisted by enthusiastic 

 friends in various parts of Australia ; but in order that there may 

 be a stamp of individuality, or a personal strain, throughout my 



