THE WOMBAT. 



At our last reunion the name of Captain Charles Bendire 

 was mentioned. Captain Bendire, as you are aware, was 

 honorary oological curator at the National Museum, Washing- 

 ton, and was the author of probably the finest literature 

 pertaining to life-histories of birds published in any part of 

 the world, now being issued in parts. Death has removed 

 Captain Bendire. As far as man's limited vision goes, truly 

 it may be written of Captain Bendire, his "sun is gone down 

 while it was yet day." 



A DESCRIPTION OF THE EGGS OF 

 CRACTICUS QUOYI AND PLATYCERCUS 

 FLAVEOLUS. 



By A. J. Campbell. 



CRACTICUS QUOYI Lesson. 

 Black Butcherbird. 



Figure. Gould, Birds of Australia fol. II. pi. 53. 



Reference. Cat. Bds. Brit. Mus. VIII. p. 94. 



Geographical Distribution. Northern Territory, and North 

 Queensland, also New Guinea or Papuan Islands, 

 Waigion, Aru and Salwatti. 



Nest. Resembles that of the black-throated butcher-bird 

 (C. nigrognlaris) ; composed outwardly of twigs, lined 

 inside with rootlets, and situated in the forked branches 

 of a tree in scrub or in open forest. 



Dimensions over all 6 -J- inches ; egg cavity, 5 inches 

 across x 2 inches deep. 



Eggs. Clutch 3 : oval, more compressed at one end ; texture 

 somewhat fine ; surface glossy ; colour a beautiful 

 greyish green, sparingly, but boldly marked with round- 

 ish spots and blotches of sepia, and a few markings of 

 dull slate. The majority of the markings are about 

 the apex, and some have the edges softened off penumbra 

 like. These eggs, excepting that they are smaller, 

 resemble a type (C) described for the Gymnorhina 

 (Magpies). 



Dimensions of a clutch in inches: — (1) 1-4 x i-o; (2) 

 1-35 x -98; (3) 1-33 x -98. 



Another type resembles those of C. nigrognlaris (Black- 

 throated Butcher-bird) ; (1) 1-4x77; (2) 1-27 x -92. 



