MONTHLY NOTES TAKEN IN SOUTH TASMANIA. 127 



coverts ; in most other respects it resembles an adult female. 

 Total length, 7 in. ; tail, 3'5 in. ; tarsus, 1 in. A female Grey- 

 tailed Thickhead is dark grey, slightly tinged with olive on the 

 upper surface, excepting the. tail, which has no olive tinge ; the 

 under surface is light grey, passing into dull white on the under 

 tail-coverts. The quill-feathers are brownish above, especially 

 on the outer edges. Length, 7:2 in. 



28th. — A White-bearded Honey- eater {Meliornis novce-hol- 

 lanclia) occasionally flies into the garden, but is very shy. Like 

 the Magpie, it is collecting wool for a nest, which it is building 

 in a patch of briars by the roadside. Swallows are now plentiful. 



October. 



4th. — The Tits have deserted their nest. A Yellow-rumped 

 Tit's egg from another locality is white, and the long diameter 

 measures, in inches, 0"67, and the short diameter 0*48. 



8th. — A Spotted Diamond Bird (Pardalotus punctatus) in the 

 flesh is received. A wavy black line crosses the rump, and a few 

 of the upper tail-coverts have red tips ; the throat is light 

 orange-yellow. 



16th. — A Podargus (Podargus strigoides) is received. The 

 young man from whom it was obtained informs me that he took 

 an egg from it. It is a light-coloured specimen, and there is no 

 tawny or chestnut in the plumage. The upper surface is 

 mottled grey, the under surface is a medium shade of ashy grey. 

 (The skin was subsequently presented to the Tasmanian Museum.) 

 A Gannet (Sulci serrator) appears on the Derwent. 



21st. — A Spotted Diamond Bird is observed procuring nest 

 material. Whilst fluttering on the wing it tries to detach shreds 

 of bark from a stake. 



26th. — Three young Magpies have been hatched. A Sleeping 

 Lizard (Gyclodus nigroluteus) is seen abroad. 



November. 



22nd. — Two Goldfinches have a nest in a young pine a few 

 feet from the verandah of dwelling-house. When feeding the 

 nestlings they thrust their bills well into the mouth. 



24th. — Two young Magpies in the open with the parents 

 pick up their food, and are also fed by the old birds. One bird 

 has disappeared. 



