BUFF-SIDED ROBIN. 
Eggs. Clutch, two. Ground-colour pale green, banded on the larger end with blotches 
of reddish-brown, some blotches distributed over the surface. 18-19 mm. by 15. 
Breeding-season. October to December (North-west Australia). 
While Elsey was camped near the Victoria River, in the Northern Territory, he 
collected the present species which was described by Gould, who was at one 
time inclined to think it might be only a sexual variation of the preceding. 
In my “List” I regarded them as subspecies only, but now conclude they are 
distinct representative species, and this is confirmed by Macgillivray’s note : 
“ First met with when the Gregory River was reached. This, then, is its eastern 
limit. It usually feeds on the ground, in the short grass, and when disturbed 
makes for the pandanus growing along the river banks, where it is usually 
to be found at other times, and in which it doubtless nests. The call of this 
bird is a piping whistle, repeated four times very loudly ; it is something like 
the call-note of a Platycercus .” 
At the McArthur River, Northern Territory, Barnard reported it : 
“ Common along the watercourses and in the brush growing at the foot of 
the sandstone bluffs. Many nests were found, each containing a pair of eggs 
or young.” 
From Parry’s Creek J. P. Rogers sent me a series of observations on the 
nesting habits and growth of the young, as follows : “ Oct. 14, 1908. Found 
nest, which contained two eggs : nest was placed in a four -pronged vertical 
fork of a fish poison bush on the bank of Parry’s Creek. Oct. 26. Eggs still 
in nest. Oct. 27. Nest contained two naked and blind young with no trace 
of down. Oct. 29. Young had primaries and secondaries about half an inch 
long : feather tracts showed as very dark patches on skin ; young still blind 
and no down. Oct. 31. At 6.30 a.m. about one minute after I had passed 
the nest and sat down, one of the old birds settled on the nest and covered the 
young. After six minutes the other bird flew to the nest and passed something 
to the sitting bird, and then flew away again. The sitting bird got off the nest, 
fed the young, and settled down again. Four minutes later the sitting bird 
flew away, and in three minutes the other bird came and fed the young : then 
in another three minutes one of the birds returned, looked at the nest and flew 
away : I then looked at the young, who seemed to be asleep. The young 
had primaries and secondaries well out, and scapulars were just through the 
skin. Other tracts showed the skin a little roughened. Nov. 2. Both young 
had gone. There are many tree snakes at Parry’s Creek.” A simultaneous 
observation concluded : “ Oct. 15. Nest found with two eggs. Oct. 19. Two 
blind young in nest. Oct. 29. Young now well feathered, wing and tail- 
feathers were short. Oct. 30. Nest now contained only one young bird, the 
vol. vin. 
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