188 FBEGIUN^. 



in height, these are favourite situations, and one or more nests 

 will be found in each of these trees, where possible of construction; 

 the eggs are generally four, sometimes five in number.'' 



A set of four eggs now before me, taken by that gentleman at 

 Mossgiel on the 31st of August 1815, are of a duU green, thickly 

 freckled, spotted, and blotched with umber, wood-brown, and 

 blackish-brown markings, but more particularly towards the larger 

 end; length (A) 1-72 x M9 inch; (B) 1-7 x 1-16 inch; (C) 1-68 

 X 1-22 inch; (D) 1-68 x M7 inch. 



This species is also found breeding in the low trees in the 

 vicinity of Laverton and the Werribee, near Melbourne, Victoria. 



Hah. Derby, N.W. Australia, Port Darwin and Port Essington, 

 Gulf of Carpentaria, Cape York, Rockingham Bay, Port Denison, 

 Wide Bay District, Dawson River, Richmond and Clarence 

 Rivers Districts, New South Wales, Interior, Victoria and South 

 Australia, West and South-West Australia, Tasmania. (Ramsay.) 



Sub-Family FREGILINJE. 

 Genus STEUTHIDEA, Gould. 



STRTJTHIDEA CINEREA, Gould. 



■},-') 



Grey Struthidea. 

 Gould, Handhk. Bds. Aust., Vol. i., sp. 289, p. 4-72. :Zar 8 



" The nest is a round cup or basin-shaped structure, composed 

 of mud or clay, about four inches inside diameter ; it is lined with 

 grasses, and placed on a horizontal bough, often only a few feet 

 from the ground, but occasionally at a height of about twenty to 

 thirty feet ; the eggs are three or four in number, but sometimes 

 five and seven have been taken by Mr. James Ramsay from a 

 single nest. They are of a milky-white, sometimes of a skimmed 

 milk colour, with spots, and here and there a blotch of blackish- 

 umber and blackish-slate colour, or occasionally streaked — some 



