464 Mr. J. Lewis Bonhote on Moult 
the larger end. They measure : A 0 66 x 0* *50, B 0*63 X 046 
inch. 
11. Geocichla heinii (Cab.). (Russet-tailed Ground- 
Thrush.) 
This species has an extensive range on the north-east coast 
of Australia, from Cape York to the Clarence River district. 
It inhabits the gloomy cedar-scrubs near the coast, and is 
generally seen near water, hopping about on the ground in 
search of its food, which consists principally of insects. 
From its colour it is difficult to detect this bird, and when I 
have been sittingstill in the scrub I have often heard it turning 
over the dry leaves before seeing it. Its nest is an open 
structure, very similar to that of a Blackbird (Tardus merula ). 
It is usually situated in the first and thick fork of a scrub- 
tree, the bird generally choosing one that has moss growing 
on its trunk. On the outside it is constructed of moss from 
the tree, which makes it very difficult to detect. It is 
lined with rootlets and dark-coloured fibres. The eggs 
number from two to three. 
Mr. H. Lan found a nest of this bird on December 4th, 
1886, in the Bunga Bunga Mountains, South Queensland. 
It contained one fresh egg, which may be described as 
follows Ground-colour greenish white, speckled with small 
light-coloured rusty-brown dots of varying sizes, and more 
numerous at the larger end, a few appearing as if beneath 
the surface, and being elongated and of a very faint purplish 
colour. The egg measures lTOxO‘78 inch. 
XXYI .—On Moult and Colour-change in Birds. 
By J. Lewis Bonhote, B.A. 
Being greatly interested in moult and colour-change, I have 
read very carefully and with much pleasure three recent 
papers on the subject which have appeared in American 
periodicals, one* of which upholds the theory of change of 
colour in the feather, while the other twof are against it. 
* Chadbourne, 1 Auk,’ xiv. 1897, p. 137. 
t Allen, Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. viii. 1896, pp. 43, 44 j Stone, 
Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phil. 1896, p. 108. 
