30 Mr. E. Gibson on the Ornithology of 
number, are rather pretty, being of a warm creamy-white 
ground-colour, with a few bright red spots, principally at the 
blunt end. They average #4 x 73- 
33. CHRYSOMITRIS MAGELLANICA. 
Very abundant; the time when it is least so seems to be 
the autumn and earlier part of the winter. During the latter 
part of the summer, and also of the winter, it is gregarious. 
Its food consists of thistle- and lucern-seed &. Caged birds 
get the usual Canary diet, on which they seem to thrive very 
well. The song is generally considered sweet, and, I think, 
much resembles that of the tame Canary. As it is also an 
easily-tamed and hardy cage-bird, large numbers are trapped 
and sent into town, where they find a ready sale. 
Breeding-Notes.—i have taken eggs from 25th September 
to middle or end of December, though October is the favourite 
month. ‘The nest is generally placed in some thick bush or 
tree, at no great height from the ground, and is rather neatly 
built of small twigs, dry grass, wool, moss, and lichens, lined 
either with fine grass and wool or with feathers. 
The eggs never exceed four in number, while three is the 
more general clutch. In colour they are a clear bluish 
white; but a not unusual variety has small red spots on the 
white ground. I do not recollect ever finding a mixed 
clutch (that is, a nest which contained both varieties of eggs). 
A large series gives 27 x 18 as the average measurements. 
34. LEPTASTHENURA AGITHALOIDES. 
Not uncommon, remaining with us all the year, and breed- 
ing. It is generally to be found in pairs, but in no larger 
numbers. 
It is rather a pretty, quaint little bird, and always reminds 
me of our Tits at home, incessantly moving about the trees, 
hanging from a twig head downwards, as it strips off all the 
Aphides and other small insects, with erected crest and twit- 
tering note. Should the nest be threatened, this note becomes 
louder and angrier, and the bird, at no times shy, approaches 
one very closely. 
Breeding-Notes.—Leptasthenura egithaloides, like Progne 
