862 



in Australia and Tasmania/ now passing through the press, I pointed out 

 that the distinguishing characters given by Dr. Gadow to C. Icueopterus 

 were equally applicable to very old males of C. destructor ^ but for want of 

 adult specimens from Western Australia I was unable to state whether G. 

 leucoptcnis should be regarded as a distinct species. In Dr. R. B. Sharp e's 

 'Handlist of Birds'^ full specific rank is accorded to G. leucopterus. As 

 Dr. Gadow stated of the latter, there is no difference in size between the 

 specimens from Queensland and those from Perth. I was not surprised to 

 find that the eastern and western birds are alike. The specimen received 

 from Mr. Carter is precisely similar in colour, the extent of white on the 

 wing, and measurements to another adult male of G. destructor exhibited, and 

 obtained by Mr. R. Grant at Cambewarra, N.S.W. C. leucopterus Gould, 

 should therefore rank as a synonym of G. destructor Temm." — Mr. North 

 also drew attention to the early breeding of several species of birds in the 

 neighbourhood of Sydney, probably owing to the unusually fine and dry 

 weather for months past. The prolific aiitumn breeders, Meliornis novae- 

 hollandiae and M. sericea, had continued nesting throughout the usual break 

 in June and July between the early autumn and winter breeders. Origma 

 rubricata had been found breeding near Manly by Mr. A. F. B. Hull in 

 June, and by Mr. L. Harrison in July. At Middle Harbour Mr. North 

 saw fully fledged young of Ptilotis leucotis on the 15th August, being fed by 

 their parents, and at Chatswood obtained the nest and fledglings of Meli- 

 tJtreptus brevirostris. At Roseville fledglings of Melithreptus lumdatus left 

 the nest on the 17th instant. Of ordinary breeders at this time of the year, 

 nests with eggs or young have been noted, during August, of Glycyphila ful- 

 vifrons, Meliornis novae-hollandiae, M. sericea, Geobasileus chrysorrìious, and 

 Acanthiza pusilla. For eight consecutive years at Middle Harbour Mr. North 

 had noted the nests of Origma rubricata built in two cave-like shelters, and 

 attached to the same flakes of rock, one of the nests at present nearing com- 

 pletion, the other containing three fresh eggs. — Mr. Fletcher exhibited, 

 on behalf of Miss M. L odder, of Launceston, some small fishes 1-2 inches 

 long, which Mr. Masters had been good enough to examine, and had found 

 them to be the young of a species of Galaxias. They were obtained at "West 

 Strahan, Tasmania, in the early part of the year, in an unusually dry season ; 

 and the point of interest about them was that they were dug up in damp soil 

 remote from any water. Similar specimens had been previously brought to 

 light in digging drains, post-holes, &c. ; and acting on this information, and 

 with the help of some boys who knew of these occurrences. Miss L odder 

 had no difficulty in finding patches of ground where the fishes could be 

 turned up with a spade. The explanation of the matter seemed to be that the 

 fishes were aestivating in damp soil representing the bed of a water-hole 

 w^hich had dried up. — 2j The Mollusca of Masthead Reef, Capricorn Group, 

 Queensland. Part. i. By C. Hedley, F.L.S. On the east coast of Australia 

 the best known points, from the view of a marine zoologist, are Torre Strait 

 and the neighbourhood of Sydney. To investigate an intermediate station, 

 the writer organised an expedition to the south end of the Barrier Reef. 

 Masthead Island just outside the tropic of Capricorn was selected for exami- 

 nation. The island and surrounding reef are described and campared with 



2 Vol. IV. p. 277 (190S). 



