30 



eggs, and others vacant. In one of the latter I found the 

 cuckoo's egg (skin since received). I left it, and several days 

 after (November 19) I visited the nest, and found no other eggs 

 added. The Finches had deserted. In one tree there were as 

 many as 30 nests. In the split spout of a eucalypt the nest is 

 occasionally built." A favourite situation in the orient is at the 

 base of a Crow or Hawk's nest, and the Finch and Hawk perch 

 within a foot of each other amicably. One nest had a clutch of 

 nine eggs. Sometimes the rudely-built nests meant for the non- 

 sitting bird will contain eggs. The compactness of the nest will 

 depend on the surroundings and its material. Several nests 

 placed in polygynum were very small and slightly built. It 

 prefers open and dry county, although its presence is indicative 

 of water not being far away. Mr. J. P. Rogers has communi- 

 cated to me a field note of value. Inland from the Fitzroy River 

 two of us had a terrible thirst experience, and, although we 

 watched a hundred of this bird, we could not find water along the 

 creek bed. Watching carefully a dozen, we saw them settle in 

 the bowl of the lowest fork of a large mulga, and, following 

 them, we found about two tablespoonf uls of water in it. This is 

 about what is saved from a slight thunderstorm, and we are 

 pleased to acknowledge the service rendered by a species of 

 Finch. 



Ephthianura tricolor,* Gould. 



Ephthianura tricolor, Gould, Bds. Austr., fol. vol. III., pi. 66; 

 Sharpe, Brit. Mus. Cat. Bds., vol. VII., p. 667; Hall, "Key Bds. 

 Austr.," p. 30. 



Skin, adult male. 



This Chat appears in great numbers at Kalgoorlie by the end 

 of October, and begins to depart towards the end of December. 

 Further North E. aurifrons has been noticed (Elder Exp.). 



Oreoica cristata,* Lewin. 



Oreoica gutturalis, Gould, Bds. Austr., fol. vol. II., pi. SI. 

 Oreoica cristata, Gadow, Brit. Mus. Cat. Bds., VIII., p. 174; 

 Hall, " Key Bds. Austr.," p. 32. 



a. Skin, juv. male, 13/3/'99. Forehead brownish-grey, crest 

 feathers light black and less in number than in the adult : back 

 less ruddy than in adult ; throat fawn-grey, with two whitish 

 feathers on the gorget ; one to two blacks showing on breast ; 

 winglet new. 



b. Skin, adult male. The forehead is black, while the lores are 

 the creamy colour of the throat. The lores of a are brownish, like 

 the forehead, with a flush of grey over them. 



The call of the young differs from that of the adult, and Mr. 

 Cameron clearly distinguishes it from the call of the Eastern 



