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Show 1866.] MR. RAMSAY ON THE FOSTERPARENTS OF CUCKOOS. 573 We find this species of Acanthiza usually the first to commence breeding. I have taken its eggs in July, but for the most part find them from August to September. They are three in number, rather long, and of a beautiful pinky white, zoned at the larger end with minute freckles and irregular markings of a light brownish red, having also a few minute linear dashes of the same colour over the rest of the surface. The zone at the tip of the larger end is extremely characteristic ; few specimens are found without it; but some, which I believe to be the eggs of young birds breeding for the first time, are of a pure white without any markings whatever. The average length is ^ or -fa of an inch, by y5<y in breadth. This species has two, and sometimes three broods in the year, stragglers breeding as late as December and January, and is perhaps more frequently the fosterparent of the Bronze Cuckoo (Chalcites lucidus) than any other species. Two Cuckoo's eggs of this species have more than once been taken out of the one nest at the same time, but we have never found more than one young Cuckoo hatched. Except during the breeding-season, the Lineated Acanthiza is found to assemble in small troops from five to eight or ten in number, traversing the leafy boughs of the Eucalypti, turpentines (Syncarpia), and almost all trees alike, showing no preference to any species. This Acanthiza, although frequently found building its nests within 2 or 3 feet of the ground, as well as among the higher branches of the trees, is strictly arboreal. Their song is a slight twitter, or rather a combination of twitterings, very merry and lively, besides a pleasant little warble of short duration, invariably emitted when engaged in conveying a fresh piece of material to its nest. 2. THE YELLOW ACANTHIZA. Acanthiza nana, Gould, Birds of Australia, iii. pi. 60. This species, the smallest of its genus, and doubtless the most diminutive of our Australian birds yet discovered, with the exception of Smicrornis flavescens, closely resembles Acanthiza lineata in its habits and actions. Seldom, if ever, found on the ground, it may almost always be observed among the thickest and most leafy boughs, creeping about through the foliage, clinging, head downwards, to the ends of the twigs-in every possible position-sometimes fluttering in front of a bunch of leaves, and darting into the midst of them to capture some spider or grub. It is a noisy little bird, especially during the early part of the morning, at which time it is exceedingly lively and busy searching for food. The Yellow Acanthiza has no continued song ; but nevertheless it is very delightful to hear its pleasant twittings among the flowerbeds and fruit-trees, its pleasing and varied sounds being occasionally accompanied by a sharp note resembling "tsze," "tsze," "tsze," "fsze," "tsze," "tsze," & c , hissed through the teeth. The nest of this species is not by any means as neat a structure as that of A. lineata; it is, moreover, placed in situations quite dif- |