56 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



be the Whistling Eagle, Hcdiastur sphennrus, which species is 

 common here during the autumn months. The fact is worthy of 

 note as showing the extended range of habitat of this bird in 

 isolated cases, and probably under exceptional circumstances. — 

 Geo. E. Shepherd. Somerville, 3rd May, 1899. 



Description of the Eggs and Nest of the Silvery- 

 crowned Friar-bird, Philemon argenticeps, Gould. — Mr. R. 

 Hislop found the nest of this bird on 24th December, 1896. It 

 was suspended near the end of a branch of a eucalyptus tree, in 

 open forest country, and the nest was made of long shreds of bark 

 and lined with grass seed-stalks ; it measures — external depth, 7 

 inches ; internal, 3 inches; external diameter, 5 inches; internal, 

 2^ inches. The eggs are very light creamy pink, with a few 

 light purplish-brown markings, and appearing as if beneath the 

 surface of the shell are markings of a faint purpHsh hue., they 

 being more numerous at the larger end, and more plentiful than 

 the surface markings. They are in shape a swollen oval, being 

 smaller at one end, but also having a slight tapering appearance 

 at the larger end. They measure — (a) 1.12 x .79, (6) 1.14 x .81, 

 (c) 1. 10 X .81 inch. — D. Le Souef. 12th June, 1899. 



Pritchard's Megapode. — Dr. Snowball recently received 

 three eggs of Megapodius pritchardi, Gray, accompanied by the 

 following note : — " Malan eggs from Ninafou or Good Hope 

 Island, situated about 15° south latitude and 177° west longitude. 

 This bird, known to exist only on this island, is peculiar in its 

 habits, and is capable of flying directly it is hatched. The 

 schooner that brought these eggs to New Zealand met the s.s. 

 Waikare on her island trip, when one of the eggs had hatched. 

 The bird was given to Mr. James Mills, of the U.S.S. Co. Many 

 Melbourne people being on board the Waikare will remember the 

 incident, and probably know or have heard more about the bird's 

 habits than the writer. It is a very rare bird." Taken 6/9/98. 

 In Lloyd's " Natural History," part v., the range of this Mega- 

 pode is given as Ninafou, or Hope Island, and Capt. M'Leod, 

 who visited the island, says : — " The bird is restricted to the scrubs 

 in the centre of the island, about a large lagoon of brackish 

 water. The birds lay their eggs on one side only of this lagoon, 

 where the soil is composed of sulphur-looking sand. The eggs 

 are deposited from one to two feet beneath the surface. The 

 locality is under the protection of the king or chief, and by his 

 permission only can the birds or eggs be procured. As many as 

 forty eggs are said to have been obtained in one mound." It 

 will be seen from the specimens exhibited that they are little 

 more than half the size of those oi Megapodius tumulus, found in 

 Australia, and the description of the bird gives a corresponding 

 variation in size. — G. A. Keartland. 



