THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 135 



doubt. The specimens were described in the Naturalist 

 (April and September, 1887). 



But, coming still nearer home, our good friend and secretary, 

 Mr. Dudley Le Souef, with Mr. Harry Barnard, of Queensland, 

 visited the Barnard Islands last month (Nov.), and, as if drawn by 

 a magnet, they actually pitched their camp under a tree which 

 contained a nest and egg, and a Victoria's Rifle Bird sitting 

 thereon. I cannot do better than give Mr. Le Souef's own words 

 for the discovery of the nest: — " The nest was found 19th Novem- 

 ber, 1891. Mr. H. Barnard and myself watched the hen bird for 

 some time, and saw her fly into the crown of a Pandanus tree 

 growing close to the open beach. Although we could not dis- 

 tinguish the nest itself, we could see the head of the bird as she 

 sat on it. The nest was about ten feet from the ground, and the 

 bird sat quietly, notwithstanding we were camped about five feet 

 away from the tree. There was a single egg, the incubation of 

 which was probably about seven days old," There is a difference 

 between the nest and eggs taken by Mr. French's collector and 

 the last found by Mr. Le Souef. For all that, after critical exam- 

 ination, I am not prepared to say that they are not of the same 

 species, only found under different conditions — one taken inland 

 in a dense scrub ; the other found by the sea shore on an island. 

 The nests are similarly constructed, while the general colour of 

 the eggs is alike, with the exception that one is spotted, the other 

 streaked. However, the nest and egg now exhibited by Mr. Le 

 Souef may be described as follows : — 



Nest. — Somewhat loosely constructed of broad dead leaves 

 and green branchlets of climbing plants and fibrous material. 

 Inside may be seen two large concave shaped dead leaves 

 underneath pieces of dry tendrils which form a springy lining for 

 the egg or young to rest upon. Measurement in centimetres — 

 overall, 19 broad by 9 deep; egg cavity, 9 across the mouth by 

 4 deep. 



Egg. — In shape nearly oval, but a little stouter about the upper 

 quarter. Shell somewhat lustrous. Ground colour of the egg is 

 of a fleshy tint, streaked in various lengths and breadths, long- 

 itudinally, with reddish brown and purplish brown. The markings 

 commence near the apex, which is bare, and extend about half 

 way down the shell, and assume the appearance of having been 

 painted on (boldly at the top and tapering downwards) with a 

 camel hair or such like brush. Many of the markings are con- 

 fluent, the longest single one being 1.23 cm., by a breadth of .23 

 cm. There are also a itv^ small spots near the lower quarter, and 

 one large blotch of reddish brown which has a smudged appear- 

 ance. Length of the egg, 3.14 cm. ; breadth, 2.32 cm. 



