66 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



round the centre. They measure — (a) .64 x .52, (b) .63 x .52, 

 (c) .66 X .53 inch. 



Rhipidura setosa, Northern Fantail. 



This little Fantail is found all across the northern portion of 

 the continent. It is very similar in its habits to the Rhipidura 

 albiscapa, which is found further south, and catches its insect prey 

 when on the wing. Its open nest was found on 25th November, 

 built near the end of a branch of a eucalyptus tree, 10 feet from 

 the ground, and the male bird was secured as it flew off the nest. 

 It is compactly built of fine shreds of bark, grass, and small chips 

 of wood, and well covered with cobwebs, and having -a point 

 hanging from below like the stem of a wineglass. It is lined with 

 fine fibres, and measures^external depth, ij4 inches; internal, 

 I inch ; external diameter, 2 inches; internal, i}4 inches. The 

 clutch is two, and they are of a light stone colour, but vary in the 

 colour of the markings — one has light reddish-brown spots and 

 the other bluish-grey ; they are more plentiful at the larger end and 

 are confluent. They measure — (a) .64 x .53, (6) .66X.52 inch. 



(A pair of these birds built their nest near my camp, and it took 

 them five days to finish it, male and female both working. The 

 male was sitting on the eggs when the nest was taken, and he 

 would not leave until forced to. They are not shy, but are very 

 pugnacious. They are scarce.) 



Chlamydodera nuchalis, Great Bower-bird. 



This fine Bower-bird is only found in North- West Australia. I 

 have received several skins besides those sent by Mr. Olive, and 

 some secured during the moulting season show that the male 

 birds lose the greater portion of their nuchal plumes during that 

 time, but I have never seen one with it entirely absent. Three 

 nests were found, each containing one egg. That found on i8th 

 November was built in a bunch of mistletoe about 10 feet from 

 the ground. The male bird was on the nest, which was open 

 and composed of twigs without any lining; and measures — 

 external depth, 5 inches ; internal, 2 inches ; external diameter, 

 8 inches ; internal, 4 inches. The egg is a very light shade of 

 green, and well marked all over with short, wavy irregular lines 

 and blotches of a greenish-brown tint, some of a lilac colour, 

 they appearing beneath the surface of the shell ; it measures 

 1.78 X 1. 1 6 inch. 



(These birds were fairly plentiful, and I saw several of their 

 bowers. They were all similar to each other, with one exception, 

 and that one was not open on the top, but arched right through. I 

 noticed one getting built. At first the sticks were laid on the ground 

 for a foundation, and then all the other sticks were stood in between 

 them. Every time they came to play they brought fruit, bones, 

 shells, or stones. I found a revolver cartridge in one of the bowers. 



