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



on the move, and, even when perched, continues to pour out its 

 guttural squeaking note, which is always accompanied by a 

 .tremulous motion of the wings, as if it were always anxious to 

 be off again. It has another melancholy but pleasing note, 

 which, when heard far off in the bush, is never to be forgotten, 

 and at once warns you of its return. Although it is not so 

 numerous during the months of November and December as 

 when it first arrives in September, still many remain and breed 

 with us, pairing off and beginning to build sometimes as early 

 as October, but more usually during the two following months. 

 They then leave the closely wooded sides of the creeks and 

 water-courses, and show a decided preference to the more open 

 or half-cleared land, choosing as sites for their nests the hori- 

 zontal boughs of the larger trees, upon which they build neat 

 round open nests, two inches in diameter by one and a half 

 deep, and composed of stringy-bark (the bark of a Eucalyptus), 

 bound and fastened together with cobwebs, the outside being 

 ornamented with scales of bark, glued on with cobwebs, and 

 made to resemble, as much as possible, the boughs to which 

 they are fastened. They are lined with grass and thin strips of 

 bark. The eggs, which are from two to three in number, have 

 the ground-colour bluish white, and a zone of slate-blue and 

 lilac dots near the larger end. In some the markings are of 

 a wood-brown tint, or consist of lilac spots alone, with a dot of 

 deeper tint in the centre of each spot. Their length is from 8 

 to 8^ lines, and the breadth from 6 to 7 lines. 



This species remains with us until about March. I have not 

 noticed any later. 



12. MoNARCHA CARiNATA (Gould, vol. ii. pi. 95). 



I have never myself had the pleasure of finding the nest of 

 this beautiful species ; but perhaps the fact that very few breed 

 about Sydney may be a sufficient excuse for this seeming 

 neglect. 



For the nest and eggs which at present grace my collection I 

 am indebted to Mr. George Masters, of Petersham, who procured 

 them during a visit to Kiama in January 186i. 



The only instance I know of this bird's breeding in the vicinity 



