Mr. E. P. Ramsay on Birds breeding near Sydney. 299 



brother, Mr. James Ramsay, informed me at the time that this 

 bird arrived every year about the beginning of October, and 

 would shortly begin to breed. This I found to be the case. In 

 the course of a few weeks they took possession of their usual 

 breeding-places, a batch of old nests of the Fairy-Martin {Chelidon 

 ariel). These they lined with grass and stringy-bark, making 

 a nest similar to that of Pardalotus i^unctatus. The eggs varied 

 from three to five in number. They are very ovate, and of a 

 glossy white ; in length 7\ to 8 lines by 6^ to 7 lines in breadth. 

 About three weeks after the Pardalotes had taken possession of 

 these nests, the rightful owners returned; but, finding the 

 usurpers unwilling to turn out, the Martins contented them- 

 selves by building new nests, and repairing those that had been 

 broken down. 



8. Chelidon arborea (Gould, vol. ii. pi. 14). 



About the end of November in the same year, 1860, I dis- 

 covered a large batch of nests of this species fastened under an 

 overhanging rock upon the banks of the Bell River. I counted 

 upwards of one hundred nests, all built up together so closely 

 that of many the entrances were alone visible, the nest itself 

 being built round by others. 



No Pardalotes were here to disturb them ; and the Martins 

 were flying to and from the nests in great numbers, some 

 carrying in grass for the linings, others busily employed in re- 

 pairing the old and building new nests with the mud from the 

 river's bank. Many also I found were brooding their eggs, and 

 this gave me a good opportunity of procuring some specimens, 

 which I did not fail to seize. There were usually from three to 

 five eggs, but some nests contained seven. Many of the eggs 

 were altogether white, others were spotted with light brownish- 

 yellow, occasionally all over, in other instances only at the 



they get a kind of " manna " that they seem particularly fond of. This also 

 forms a great part of the food of the young birds of all three species. 



[Pardalotus affinis has hitherto been thought to be peculiar to Tasmania. 

 If we are not mistaken, this is the first record of its occurrence in Australia. 



