X28 
THE GEELONG NATURALIST. 
eggs respectively, all fresh. The nests were taken on the 17th, 18th 
and 29th October, and were all heavier built than those of the 
other Thickheads I had been accustomed to find. On the lovely 
islets of Kent Group during the visit of the Field Naturalists we 
took nests of this species. One bird—a female—we shot, had a 
crossed bill. It was remarkable how the creature could live and 
enjoy life with such a wry appendage. 
On a subsequent expedition to the Furneaux Group when 
scrambling down one of the granite peaks of Flinders, we took a 
nest with three eggs in a scrubby nook, being attracted to the 
locality by the sweet voices of the Thickheads. 
With reference to the Grey-tailed Thickhead, a Tasmanian 
coologist, Mr A. E. Brent, kindly forwarded me the following 
memorandum—‘ This bird very rarely lays more than three eggs, 
but I have taken two or three nests containing four eggs. On 7th 
October, 1893, I took a nest from a low musk tree in a gully at 
Austin’s Ferry, containing four eggs. I also notice that the earliest 
laying birds only, or I should say, rarely lay more than two eggs.” 
Mr G. K. Hinsby another good field observer, found as a 
rule a pair of eggs was laid during poor seasons. The greater 
number, three, (he never found more,) were taken when food was 
plentiful. É 
Breeding months, October to December. 
PACHYCEPHALA MELANURA (Gould). 
BLAOK-TAILED THICKHEAD. 
FrevnE.—(Gould: Bds. of Aust., fol., Vol. TI, pl. 66. 
Rererence.—Cat. Bds., Brit. Mus., Vol. VIII, p. 185. 
Previous Dxscurprrows oF Eacs.— 
Ramsay: P.L.S., N.S.W., Vol. VII, p. 47 (1882). 
Campbell: “Southern Science Record,” (1883). 
GEOGRAPHICAL DrisrRIBUTION.— Northern Territory, Queens- 
land, also New Guinea, Molaccas, Louisiade Archipelago, New 
Britain and adjacent Islands. 
Nxsr.—Cup-shaped, shallow, rather scanty structure of fine 
roots and twigs lined with rootlets and grass, through the bottom 
.of which the eggs can be seen; it is about 3 or 4 inches in diameter 
"by 13 deep (Ramsay). 
Eeas.—2, possibly 3 occasionally; ovals in shape, slightly 
compressed towards one end; texture of shell, fine, with a trace of 
„gloss upon the surface; color, light yellowish-white with markings 
mostly about the upper quarter of dark olive or umber, having the 
appearance of spots and smudges struck on obliquely or in a down- 
ward direction ; a few grey markings also appear as if beneath the 
shells surface. Dimensions of an average of three examples, 
"88 x ‘63 inches. 
ORSERVATIONS.—I am very dubious about the wisdom of Dr. 
‘Ramsay, after skipping the intermediate localities on his “Tabular 
