30 
eggs, and others vacant. In one of the latter I found the 
euckoo's egg (skin since received). I left it, and several days 
after (November 19) I visited the nest, and found no other eggs 
dded. The Finches had deserted. In one tree there were as 
many as 30 nests. In the split spout of a ‚eucalypt the nest " 
oecasionally built." A favourite situation in the vp is at t 
base of a Crow or Hawk's nest, and the Finch and Hawk per = 
within a foot of each other amicably. One nest had a elutch of 
nine eggs. Sometimes the rudely-built nests meant for the non- 
sitting bird will contain eggs. The v atat of the nest will 
ma 
placed in polygynum were very small deg slightly built. It 
prefers open and dry country, although its presence is indicative 
of water not being far away. Mr. J. P. Rogers has communi- 
cated to me a field pia 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. atching carefully a dozen, we saw them settle in 
the bowl of the lowest fork of a large mulga, pa following 
them, we found about two ee of water init. This is 
about what is saved from a slight aele and we are 
pleased to acknowledge thas service rendered by a species of 
Finch. 
EPHTHIANURA TRICOLOR,* Gould. 
Ephthianura tricolor, Gould, Bds. Austr., fol. vol. IIT., pl. 66; 
gei Brit. Mus. Cat. Bds., vol. MIL, B. 667; Hall, * Key Bds. 
P. 
A adult male. 
at appears in great numbers at Kalgoorlie by the end 
of October, and begins to depart towards the end of December. 
Further North Æ. aurifrons has been noticed (Elder Exp.). 
OREOICA CRISTATA,* Lewin. 
Oreoica gutturalis, Gould, Bds. Austr., fol. vol. IT., pl. 81. 
Oreoica cristata, Gadow, Brit. Mus. Cat. Bds., VIIL, p. 174; 
Hall, “ rid Bds. Austr.," p. 32. 
, juv. male, 13/5/99. Forehead brownish-grey, crest 
feathers Tight 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 
