208 
sielii>hagid;e. 
thickly covered with a very fine bright green moss, and neatly 
lined inside with the soft downy covering of the young 
fronds of the Tree Fern (Dicksonia antarctica). The nests of this 
bird are placed in a variety of situations, sometimes being built 
at the top of a tree, but more often within about six feet of the 
ground, any suitable tree being selected for the purpose according 
to the locality in which it is found. At Western Port I frequently 
found that the nests of tliis species were placed in prickly Acacia 
hedges around gardens. 
The eggs of this species, are subject to much diversity in their 
tints of colour, and in the disposition of their markings. Yar. A. 
two eggs in the Australian Museum Collection, taken at Dobroyde 
in October 1808, are of a fleshy-buff ground colour, with round, 
deep, reddish-black markings confined to the larger end of the egg. 
length (A) 0-77 x 0-55 inch ; (B) 08 x 0-58 inch. 
Var. B. Another set taken in the same locality on July 5th 
1860, are of a light saturnine-yellow, heavily blotched with 
markings of a deeper tint, intermingled with others of a purplish- 
grey. Length (A) 0'8 x 0‘57 inch ; (B) 0 - 82 x 0'58 inch; (C) 
0-81 x 0-56 inch. 
Yar. C. A set taken at Hastings, Western Port, on the 30th 
October 1883, are of a reddish-white ground colour, minutely but 
thickly freckled all over with chestnut-brown and purplish-grey, 
particularly towards the larger end where the markings become 
confluent, and form a well defined zone. Length (A) 0'82 x 0'G 
inch ; (B) 0-8 x 0-57 inch ; (C) 08 x 0'58 inch. 
The two last are the most usual varieties found. A reddish or 
chestnut-brown tint seems more or less to pervade through most 
of the eggs of this species, but Dr. Ramsay informs me that he lias 
occasionally taken a set with an almost white ground sprinkled 
with darkish red dots. The breeding season commences in July 
and continues during the four following months. 
I [ah. Rockingham Bay, Port Denison, Wide Bay District, 
Richmond and Clarence Rivers Districts, New South Wales, 
Victoria and South Australia. (Ramsay.) 
