XESTS AXD fJiGS Of M'STRAT.TAN BIRDS. j^C\c, 



Dr. Shai-pc, in referring to Gould's type of the beautiful and well- 

 named Gol(K n-b;u'k(>d llonoveater, is of opinion that it " is apparently 

 a verj- old male in full breeding plumage " of M . ijuhiria. Many 

 answering to Gould's typo (M. latior) have since been found. The 

 talented Doctor must also be prepared to accept a female as an " old 

 male," since Mr. G. A. Keartland was good enough to present me with 

 one which he shot in the far north-west. Mr. Keartland informs me 

 ho found the beautiful Golden-backed Honcyeater plentiful on the 

 Fitzroy River from Mount Campbell to Derby. In May these birds 

 had apparently paired. 



306. — Melithueptis vinitinctus, De Vis. 

 GAY-TINTED HONEYEATER. 



Reference — Proc. Roy. Soc , Queensland, vol. i , p 159 



Geographical Distrihution. — North Queensland 



Next and Eggs. — Undescribed. 



Oh.servntions. — This scarce species was first collected by Mr. Kendall 

 Broadbent, in 1884, at Kimberlcy (Gulf of Carpentaria), and afterwards 

 noticed in the neighbourhood of that rich region — Cape York. 



307. — Plectorhynchus lanceolatus, Gould. — (323) 

 STRirED HONEYEATER. 



Figure — Gould : Birds of Australia, fol., vol, iv., pi. 47. 

 Reference. — Cat. Birds Brit. Mus , vol. ix., p 208. 



Previous Dcscriplions of Eggs. — Gould : Birds of Australia (1848) ; also 

 Handbook, vol. i., p. 526 (1S65) ; North : Austn. Mus. Cat., p 

 209, pi. 13, fig. 2 (i88g) ; Campbell: Proc. Austn. Assoc , vol 

 vii., p. 594 (1898). 



Geix/raphirnl Dixtrihutinn. — Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria 

 and South Australia. 



Nest. — Cup-shaped, deep ; composed of fibrous roots and gi-asses, 

 interwoven with wool or cotton-like texture of flowers and feathers; 

 inside lined sparingly with grass and hair; u.sually suspended at the 

 extremity of a branch of casuarina, myall (Acnriaj, or other tree in 

 open timbered tracts of the interior. Dimensions over all, 4 inches by 

 4i inches in depth; egg cavity, 3 inches across by 3J inches deep. 



Eggs. — Clutch, three to foui', occasionally five ; lengthened in form, 

 somewhat pointed towards one end ; textine fine ; surface glossv ; 

 21 



