THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. IF 
had I deferred my visit to tropical Australia a month or two later, 
because I ascertained afterwards, the majority of birds breed late 
in Spring or early Summer, but owing to the exceedingly mild 
climate and haying regard to the rain seasons, birds may be found 
breeding at all times of the year. The government recognised 
that fact in legislating for the protection of certain native birds, 
by proclaiming close periods for Winter breeders, Autumn breeders, 
Autumn and Winter breeders and Spring and Antumn breeders, 
However, I was enabled personally to take the interesting nests 
and eggs of Ptilotis flava, P. unicolor and Sittella leucocephala all 
new to science. The Obscure Honey-eater (Myzomela obscura) 
was seen building in the mangroves in August, and the dissection 
of a female Rifle-bird (Péiloris Victorie) at the beginning of 
September proved its breeding season had commenced, yet a 
most persevering search, in the scrubs on Barnard Islands where 
this rare and lovely bird is tolerably abundant, failed to reveal its 
nest. It was also reported to me that about Christmas time the 
Queensland Edible Swifts (Collocalia terre-regine), breed in 
numbers in certain caves in the mountains near Dalrymple’s Gap. 
In the proper season what a mighty paper would a trip to these 
caves make. I throw out the hint to my young energetic oological 
friends. These caves are also reported to be the abode of numberless 
bats, and no doubt like the wonderful birds’ nest caves at Gormanton, 
North Borneo, troops of bats would be seen leaving the caves 
every evening with flocks of swifts in-coming, and zce versa in the 
morning, while from some commanding rock or tree hawks would 
swoop down into the mass and strike at whatever was most 
convenient, bats or birds. The following are descriptions of 
new eggs:— 
16. AsturrRapratus. (Radiated Goshawk.) Lucality,—Queens- 
land, New South Wales, and Interior. EZgg,—Roundish in shape, 
surface somewhat rough and of a uniform dull or bluish-white 
color; length, 2 inches 13 lines; breadth 1 inch 93 lines. 
Mr. George Barnard, of Duaringa, kindly allowed me to describe 
this rare hawk’s egg from his collection. He states that the clutch 
was two eggs which were taken from a stick nest lined with leaves, 
&c., situated in a lofty eucalypt. 
254. BatHitpa ru¥icaupa. (Red-tailed Finch.) Locality,— 
Queensland, New South Wales, and Interior, Egg,—White, 
longish in shape; length, 8 lines; breadth 5 lines. 
264. Papuita cincta. (Banded Grass Finch.) Locality,— 
Queensland. Egg,—Soft white, roundish in shape; length 7 to 
7# lines; breadth 54 lines. 
This pretty finch has a fondness for building underneath the 
broad hard leaves of the Spiral Pandanus tree, where it constructs 
its grassy nest to deposit 4 or 5 eggs. 
