CBACTICUS. 63 



from the ground. Eggs three in number for a sitting, and 

 varying in tint from reddish-brown to apple-green. A fine set of 

 these eggs taken by Mr. James Ramsay at Tyndarie, on the 21st 

 of September 1 880, are of a faded apple-green ground colour, 

 minutely freckled, and thickly spotted with light umber, brownish- 

 black, and slaty-grey, the latter colour appearing as if beneath 

 the surface of the shell ; a few foreign-looking black spots are 

 scattered over the larger end, which appear common to all the 

 eggs of this genus ; these spots are easily removed by wetting 

 them. ^ Length (A) 1-28 x 0-97 inch; (B) 1-26 x 0-93 inch ; (C) 

 1-27 X 0-97 inch. 



The breeding season commences in September and continues 

 the three following months. 



Hob. Derby, N.W. Australia, Gulf of Carpentaria, Eockingham 

 Bay, Port Denison, "Wide Bay District, Dawson River, Richmond 

 and Clarence River Districts, New South Wales, Interior, Victoria 

 and South Australia. (Ramsay.) 



CRACTICUS CINEREUS, Gmld. 

 Ashy-grey Crow-shrike. 



QouU, Hatidhh. Bds. Aust., Vol. i., sp. 100, p. 186. 



This is the Tasmanian representative of the Australian form of 

 O. destructor, and both the manner of its nidification and the 

 number of its eggs for a sitting are precisely similar. I give the 

 description of two varieties of eggs now before me, taken from 

 different nests near Hobart, in September 1885. 



Var. A. Ground colour dull asparagus-green, with indistinct 

 chestnut spots and markings, particularly towards the larger end, 

 where they form a confluent patch on the apex. Length 1-25 x 

 0-93 inch. 



Var. B. A large specimen, ground colour light reddish-brown, 

 thickly covered all over with markings of a darker tint, and a few 



