the birds of the cobbora district. 



no 



Nest and eggs of the Warty-faced Honey-eater (Meliphaga phrygia) with an egg of the 

 Pallid Cuckoo [Cuculus inoriiatus). 



Cacomantis ru/ulus (Fantail Cuckoo). — Some years this species does not put in an appearance 

 here at all, while in others it is fairly numerous, generally met with in the more thickly timbered 

 country. Only once have I found it breeding here ; an egg was placed in a nest of the Little 

 Field Wren (Chthonicola sagittata). 



Mesocalius palliolatus (Black-eared Cuckoo). — A bird which, owing to its habits, and also to 

 its similarity in appearance to a female Lalage tricolor, it easily escapes notice. The first proof that 

 I had of it being in the district was its egg being brought to me by a boy, taken with two eggs of 

 the Little Field Wren (Chthonicola sagittata). Since then I have often seen the birds, and shot a few 

 for identification, and I have twice taken an egg, each time in a nest of the Little Field Wren. 



Chalcococcyx basalis (Narrow-billed Bronze Cuckoo). — Every year a fair number are to be seen 

 in the spring. I have taken their eggs from nests of the following species : — Red-capped Robin 

 (Petroeca goodenovii), Buff-rumped Tit (Acanthiza reguloides), White-browed Babbler (Pomatorhinus 

 superciliosus), and Silvery Blue Wren (M alums cyanocclamys). With regard to the latter, I took the 

 first set with Mr. A. F. Basset Hull on the ist October, 191 7, the Cuckoo's egg being covered by the 

 lining of the nest. Eleven days later she had built another nest and laid two eggs, and it also contained 

 one of the Cuckoo. On November and, 1917, she had another nest built and two eggs, and again 

 one of the Cuckoo was deposited in the nest. In the two latter cases the Cuckoo's egg was not covered. 

 All the nests were built within a few yards of each other. 



Chalcococcyx plagosus (Bronze Cuckoo). — This species arrives in the early spring, and I have 

 only taken their eggs with the following species : — Yellow-rumped Tit (Acanthiza chfysorrhoa), Buff- 

 rumped Tit (A. reguloides), and Red-rumped Tit (A. pyrrhopygia). 



