Page:The Emu volume 13.djvu/261

 their haunts. The nests are frail structures, and even when they contain eggs are not easily discovered. Some were placed in the dense jungle of the swamp, others almost on dry ground near the edge, but in every case the "run" dropped into water. All used nests had a staging, in some cases two, and in one nest three platforms were built. Generally speaking, the centre of the tussock is chosen, but a few nests were placed at the sides of the clump, though not on the ground. If the female decides to lay in a nest she begins to form a roof by bending the reeds above. I heard a bird at work one evening. Of course, I could not see her, but the tops of the rushes shook and rustled. I took a clutch of eggs from this a few days later. Seven days afterwards my sister found the bird brooding in a new nest in the next clump. A nest found on 6th September contained one egg on 4th October. Another September nest contained eggs on 2nd December; still another, found on 12th November, contained an egg on 7th December. On 25th October I found a few muddy strands laid across each other in a fairly open tussock in a strip of boggy water. Passing through the same piece on 7th November, I disturbed the bird from three eggs. The nesting periods commence about the beginning of September, judging by the fact that on the 27th September I found a nest containing three heavily incubated eggs.

The last clutch of eggs was found by my scout on the 24th January, 1914, and at time of writing (February) there is a new nest under observation. The birds lay between 9 a.m. and noon, and every day (an exception noted). Three appears to be the normal clutch, four the maximum. Thirteen of the 19 clutches examined consisted of three eggs, the remainder of four. Three broods of three each were observed. From these facts it appears that three is the average clutch in this district.

The two clutches of eggs in the possession of Mr. Malcolm Harrison, of Hobart, are similar in measurements and colour to those found in this district. The clutches number four in each case.

The colouring of the eggs examined varied somewhat, though the brownish type predominated. On the whole, there is a certain resemblance in colour markings to the eggs of the Ground-Thrush (Oreocincla macrorhyncha). Eggs of the first clutch taken were greener and paler than others of the season. This may have been colour protection, the reeds in September being in their full spring growth. Another clutch was prettily mottled with darker markings, while in a third, of a lighter type, two eggs were similar, but the other was boldly flecked with chestnut, dark brown, and purplish markings. The female begins to brood immediately the clutch is completed. The incubation period, judging by observations, extends over from 14 to 16 days. When the nest contains an egg or eggs the owners become very quiet. It is worth noting that the 70 nests recorded were in the haunts of 17 pairs of Spotless Crakes, spread