380 NESIS AND liGGS OF AU:STRAUAN BIRDS. 



in a large inland mangi-ove swamp near Point Smith. I never observed 

 it anywhere than in swampy situations, or among mangi-oves bordering 

 deep bays and creeks of the harbours. Its small pensile nest is suspended 

 from the extremity of a weak projecting branch in such a manner that 

 it hang.s over the water, the bii-d always selecting a branch bearing a 

 sufficient number of leaves to protect the entrance from the rays of the 

 sun. I found a nest in the latter part of November, and another in the 

 early part of December, wliich contained thi'ee eggs each, while a third 

 procured towards the end of January had only two. Dmnng the breed- 

 ing season it exhibits considerable pugnacity of disposition, and instead 

 of ite usadi. pretty note, utters a chattering and vociferous squeaking." 



318. — Entomophila leucomelas, Cuvier. — (325) 

 PIED HONEYEATER. 



Figure. — Gould ; Birds of Australia, £ol., vol. iv., pi. 49. 

 Reference. — Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., vol. ix., p. 220. 



Previous Descriptions of Eggs. — Keartlaud : Victorian Naturalist (1897), 

 Campbell : Proe Austn. Assoc, vol. vii., p. 603 (1898) 



Ge<jgraphical Distribution. — New South Wales, Victoria, South, 

 West, and North-west Australia. 



Nest. — Cup-shaped, somewhat shallow ; composed of pieces of grass 

 (Spinifex), matted well with spiders' web ; inside lined with finer grass ; 

 usually suspended by the rim in the horizontal forked brauchlet of a 

 low tree. Dimensions over all, about 4 inches ; egg cavity, about 2 

 inches across (Keartland). 



Eggs. — Clutch, two to tlu'ee ; roimdish or round oval in shape ; 

 texture fine ; surface shghtly glossy ; colour, soft, warm wliite or 

 light yello-ivish-white, finely but strongly spotted aU over with sepia or 

 dark umber, intemiinglcd with spots and patches of light or dull grey. 

 Quite exceptional in coloiu' and character to the general nile for Honey- 

 eaters' eggs, and resemble more small eggs of the common Wood Swallow 

 (A. sordidus). Dimensions in inches of a clutch ; (1) -92 x -65, 

 (2) -Sx-eo, (3) -sex -65; a smaller pair; (1) -86 x -62, (2) -Sex-Gl. 

 (Plate 13.) 



Observations. — The Pied Honeyeater ranges across Southern Aus- 

 tralia. In this species the sexes are totally different in colour, the male 

 being black and white (pied), while the female is light brown. Total 

 length, 6^ inches. 



Gilbert says it is a periodical visitor to the west, where it arrives in 

 the latter part of October. He has observed the birds assembling in 

 great flocks, which continue to soai" during the gi'eater portion of the 

 day — a rather remarkable trait for Honcyeaters. 



