22 BIRDS ■ OF TASMANIA. 



Eggs. — Clutch two to three; stout oval in shape, with one 

 end distinctly rounded; texture of shell fine; surface glossy; 

 colour pearly-white, with a well-defined belt of dull umber and 

 purplish-grey spots ; there are also usually a few spots of the same 

 colour scattered over the rest of the surface. Dimensions in mm. 

 of a clutch:— (1) 18.5 x 14.5, (2) 19 x 14.5. 



Breeding Season. — Last week in November to January. 



Geographical Distribution. — Tasmania, New South Wales, Vic- 

 toria, and Queensland. 



Observations. — This Flycatcher is both more plentiful and 

 nioi-e widely distributed than the Leaden species. It arrives from 

 the mainland towards the end of October, and departs again early 

 in March. Launceston, Kelso, Lilydale, Hobart, Wilmot, Tas- 

 man's Peninsula, Noland Bay, Table Cape, Gunn's Plains, and 

 Ross are among the localities frequented by it. 



Eegarding this species, Mr. H. Etuart Dove writes me: — 

 " Earliest record I have is 22nd September, which was near Laun- 

 ceston, and is early, considering it does not usually build here until 

 last week in November or first in December. Other records are — 

 3rd November, Launceston district ; 10th November, on slopes 

 of Mount Arthur, calling from the top of a dry tree and wagging 

 tail sideways as it did so — the call is like ' Chuee, chuee, chuee, 

 chuee.' Several were building at Eussell's Plains on 30th Novem- 

 ber. They change places frequently when sitting. 5th December 

 one was flj'ing along edge of scrub near Table Cape, backwards 

 and forwards, apparently fly-catching. 16th December a pair came 

 and sat on my verandah-rail at Table Cape, showing to perfection 

 the long, slender shape, the beautiful dark glossy-green of throat 

 and upper surface of male — the female being brownish above, with 

 throat and cheeks orange-rufous. This species is one of my 

 favourites ; it is so lively and entertaining in its motions, hardly 

 still for a moment, and the gloss on the upper surface is very 

 beautiful in sunlight." 



*SCAELBT-BREASTED ROBIN 

 {Petrceca leggei, Sharpe). 



Male. — Whole of the upper surface bl9,ck; forehead white; 

 lesser wing coverts black, secondary and greater white; white also 

 on inner secondaries; lateral tail feathers white, margined with 

 blackish-brown on basal half of inner web and towards the tip 

 of outer web ; sides of the head and throat black ; breast light 

 scarlet ; rest of under surface dull white, all feathers blackish-grey 

 at bases; bill, legs, and feet black. Dimensions in mm. : — Length, 

 155; bill, 10; wing, 73; tail, 58; tarsus, 19. 



Female. — Upper surface brown; white spot on forehead small; 

 white markings on wings as in male ; tail feathers also marked 

 as in male ; chin and throat greyish white ; chest and upper part 



