208 MEIiIPHAGtlD^. 



thickly covered with a very fine bright -green moss, and neatly 

 lined inside with the soft downy covering of the young 

 fronds of the Tree Fern (Dicksonia antarctiea). The nests of this 

 bird are placed in a variety of situations, sometimes being built 

 at the top of a tree, but more often within about six feet of the 

 ground, any suitable tree being selected for the purpose according 

 to the locality in which it is found. At Western Port I frequently 

 found that the nests of this species were placed in prickly Acacia 

 hedges around gardens. 



The eggs of this species, are subject to much diversity in their 

 tints of colour, and in the disposition of their markings. Var. A. 

 two eggs in the Australian Museum Collection, taken at Dobroyde 

 in October 1868, are of a fleshy-buff ground colour, with round, 

 deep, reddish-black markings confined to the larger end of the egg. 

 length (A) 0-77 X 0-55 inch ; (B) 0-8 x 0'58 inch. 



Var. B. Another set taken in the same locality on July 5th 

 1860, are of a light saturnine-yellow, heavily blotched with 

 markings of a deeper tint, intermingled with others of a purplish- 

 grey. Length (A) 0-8 x 0-57 inch ; (B) 0-82 x 0-58 inch ; (C) 

 0-81 X 0-56 inch. 



Var. C. A set taken at Hastings, Western Port, on the 30th 

 October 1883, are of a reddish-white ground colour, minutely but 

 thickly freckled all over with chestnut-brown and purplish-grey, 

 particularly towards the larger end where the markings become 

 confluent, and form a well defined zone. Length (A) 0-82 x 0-6 

 inch ; (B) 0-8 x 0-67 inch ; (C) 0-8 x 0-58 inch. 



The two last are the most usual varieties found. A reddish or 

 chestnut-brown tint seems more or less to pervade through most 

 of the eggs of this species, but Dr. Ramsay informs me that he has 

 occasionally taken a set with an almost white ground sprinkled 

 with darkish red dots. The breeding season commences in July 

 and continues during the four following months. 



Sab. Rockingham Bay, Port Denison, Wide Bay District, 

 Richmond and Clarence Rivers Districts, New South Wales, 

 Victoria and South Australia. {Bamsau.) 



