290 PERDICIDffi. 



composed of dried grasses, &c., on the ground in the long rank 

 grass bordering water courses and rivers. Eggs of a pale bluish- 

 white finely freckled all over with very minute light brown 

 markings, which appear foreign to the shell, and when moistened 

 are easily rubbed off. The dimensions of four eggs in the 

 Australian Museum Collection are as follows : — length (A) l'26x 

 0-97 inch; (B) 1-24 x 0-94 inch; (C) 1-21 x 0-93 inch ; (D) 1-2 x 

 0-92 inch. 



A set of five taken at Dobroyde on the 20th March 1867, give 

 the following measurements : — length (A) 118 x 0-94 inch ; (B) 

 1-13 X 0-5 inch ; (C) M7 x 0-9 inch; (D) M8 x 92 inch; (E) 

 1-17 X 0-91 inch. 



The eggs of this species are usually swollen ovals in form, and 

 rather pointed at one end. 



This bird commences to breed in September, and continues 

 iintil the end of March, during which time two or more broods 

 are reared. 



IFah. Derby, N.W. Australia, Gulf of Carpentaria, Cape Yorfc, 

 Rockingham Bay, Port Denison, Wide Bay District, Richmond 

 and Clarence Rivers Districts, New South Wales, Interior, 

 Victoria and South Australia, Tasmania, West and South-West 

 Australia. (Jiamsay.) 



SYNOICUS DIEMENENSIS; Gould. 

 Tasmanian S-warnp- Quail. 

 Gould, Handhk. Bds. Aust, Vol ii. sp. 488, p. 194. 



This bird is confined to Tasmania, and is found breeding among 

 rank herbage in the vicinity of swamps and rivers. Eggs twelve 

 to fourteen in number for a sitting, in form swollen ovals, being 

 rather sharply pointed at the smaller end, of a greenLsh-white 

 ground col our, "thickly freckled all over with very minute spots of 

 brown. Dimensions of three average specimens taken in November 

 1-885 in Tiismania, are as folloVs^s :— length (A) 1-22 x 0-93 indh ; 

 (B)-.l-2x 0-93 inch; (0) 1-23 x 0-94 iiich, 

 S_2 



