41 i ON THE NIDIFICATION OF R. PREISSl AND M. PULCHERRIMUS, 



NOTES ON THE NIDIFICATION OF RHIPIDURA 

 PREISSl, CABANIS, AND MALURUS PULCHERRI- 

 MUS, GOULD. 



By a. J. North, F.L.S. 



Through the courtesy of the Hon. Wm. Macleay I have been 

 permitted to examine a small collection of nests and eggs recently 

 procured by his collector, Mr. W. W. Froggatt, about one hundred 

 miles inland from Derby, North-Western Australia. I am indebted 

 to Mr. Froggatt for all data relative to the taking of them. 

 Amongst others procured are those of Collyriocincla br'tinnea, 

 Gould ; Rhipidura preissi, Cabanis ; Malurus 2yulcherrimus, Gould ; 

 Malurus cruentatus, Gould ; Stictoptera annulosa, Gould ; and 

 Pcp/iila acuticauda, Gould ; several of which I described in a 

 former j)aper. 



Khipidura preissi, Cabanis. 



Mr. Froggatt found a nest of this species built in a climbing 

 plant growing on the banks of the Fitzroy River, about twenty-five 

 miles inland troiu Derby, on the 25th of September, 1887; it is very 

 like that of its near ally, R. albiscapa, of the eastern and southern 

 ])ortions of the continent, but much smaller, resembling in shape 

 a miniatui'e wine glass with the base broken off. The nest is 

 composed of shreds of thin fibi'ous bark and fine grasses, held 

 together on the outside with spiders' webs, which are neatly 

 wound round the exterior surface of the nest, and the thin branch 

 on which it is jtlaced, the stein of the nest having a somewhat 

 ragged appearance at the extremity. Exterior diameter 1'7 inch, 

 depth 1'67 inch, length of stem from the bottom of the nest 

 proper and branch on which it is placed 2-25 inches. Interior 

 diameter 158 inch, depth 1*2 inch. The rim of the nest is very 

 thin. Eggs two in number tor a sitting, of a creamy-white 



