GtALLINULA. 325 



eggs are four or five ia number of a pale greenish tint with 

 roundish spots of light reddish-brown sprinkled all over the surface, 

 and are of an oblong pointed form. Length (A) 1 '85 x 1 -28 inch ; 

 (B) l-85x 1-3 inch; (C) 1-76 x 1-27 inch ; (D) 1-7 x 1 -15 inch j 

 (E) 1-88 X 1-3 inch." (Ramsay, P.L.S., N.S. W., Vol. vii., p. 59.) 



Hab. Derby, N.W. Australia, Gulf of Carpentaria, Port Denison, 

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

 and South- West Australia. {Bamsay.) 



Genus GALLINULA, Brisson. 



GALLINULA TENEBROSA, Gould. 

 Sombre G-alliiiule. 

 Gould, Handbh. Bds. Aust., Vol. ii., sp. 567, p. 328. 



This bird frequents the weedy margins of rivers and creeks, and 

 is particularly plentiful on the Richmond and Clarence Rivers. 

 Mr. J. Macgillivray found a nest of this species in a bush on the 

 edge of the latter river, on the 11th of January 1864; it was 

 composed of rushes and other aquatic herbage, and contained four 

 fresh eggs, rather rounded in form, of a pale creamy- white ground 

 colour, freckled and blotched all over with reddish-chestnut and 

 lilac spots, the former colour greatly predominating and becoming 

 larger and more thickly disposed towards the thicker end of the 

 egg. Length (A) 1-55 x M5 inch; (B) 1-53 x 1-18 inch ; (C) 

 1-37 x 1-2 inch ; (D) 1-55 x 1-2 inch. 



Upon comparing these eggs with those of Gallinula ruficrissa, 

 (Gould) from Northern Australia, and with those of Amaurornis 

 moluccana, (Wallace), from New Britain, (the two latter of which 

 are declared to be identical by some ornithologists) it will be 

 seen that there is little or no variation in either their colour or 

 measurements. 



SJab. Port Denison, Wide Bay District, Richmond and Clarence 

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

 and the South Coast New Guinea. (Bamsay.) 



