46 ABTAMID^. 



Like all the birds of the interior, the time of nesting is greatly 

 influenced by the rainy season ; but October and November are 

 the usual months for breeding. 



Hah. Gulf of Carpentaria, Rockingham Bay, Interior, Victoria 

 and South Australia. {Ramsay.) 



'f. ARTAMUS MELANOPS, GouU. 



Black-faced "Wood Swallow. 



Gould, Eatidhk. Bds. Aust., Vol. i., sp. 77, p. 149. T2Zi '^■ 



This species is found plentifully dispersed throughout the interior 

 of South Australia, and the Darling and Albert districts of New 

 South Wales. The nest is a round open structure, composed of 

 fibrous roots, lined inside with grasses, and placed in a low bush. 

 Eggs four in number for a sitting, varying considerably in the 

 character of their markings. • 



A set taken by Mr. K. H. Bennett at Mossgiel, on the 17th 

 of October 1886, are of a fleshy-white, thickly freckled and spotted 

 with irregular shaped markings of reddish-brown, and others of a 

 bluish-grey tint appearing as if beneath the surface of the shell. 

 Length (A) 0-87 x 0-69 inch ; (B) 0-9 x 0-67 ; (C) 0-85 x 0-67 ' 

 inch ; (D) 0-89 x 0'68 inch. 



Another set of a salmon- white ground colour are heavily blotched 

 all over, but particularly towards the larger end with bright red, 

 and a few indistinct obsolete spots of deep bluish-grey. Length 

 (A) 0-82 X 0-68; (B) 0-87 x 0-67 inch; (C) 0-89 x 0-67 inch; 

 (D) 0-87 X 0-68 inch. Taken by Mr. James Ramsay at Tyndarie,, 

 November the 2nd, 1879. 



The months of September, October, and November constitute 

 the breeding season of this species. {North, P.L.S., N.S. W., Vol. 

 ii., 2nd Series, p. 405.) 



Sab. Derby, N. W. A., Port Darwin and Port Essington, New 

 Sonth Wales, Interior, Victoria and South Australia, West and 

 South- West Australia. {Barmay.) 



