:^84 NESTS AND EGGS OF AUSTRALIAN BIRDS. 



forwards through the dining-room when a nvimbcr of persons were seated 

 at dinner. The nest was commenced on the 7tli of December, and con- 

 tained three eggs on the 15th; two young ones were hatclied on the 

 28th, and a third next day — the period of incubation being foiu-tcen 

 days. The young birds left the nest on the 12th January." 



Breeding season, September to March. 



The following are the nests, each containing two eggs, taken at Cape 

 York, by Mr. HaiTy Barnard, 1896-7, viz. : — In October, one; Novem- 

 ber, two ; .Tanuai-y, two ; February, three ; and Marcli, one. 



321.^ — PtILOTIS CRACILT3, GrOUld. 



LESSER YELLOW-SPOTTED HONEYEATER. 



Figure.— \h\s, pi. i. (i8g8). 



Reference. -Gould : P.Z.S., i886, p, 217, 



Previous Descriptions 0/ Epgs. — (?) Ramsay: Proc. Linn. Soc, N,S. Wales. 



2nd ser . vol i., p. 1150 (i885)'; Le Soucf: Ibis, p. 56 dSgg) ; 



Campbell ; Proc. Austn. Assoc, vol. vii,, p. 607 (iSg8). 



Gfogrnphical Distrihufiov.- — Northern Queensland. 



Neat. — Cup-shaped ; comparatively small and roundish ; composed 

 chiefly of moss, ornamented outwardly with small pieces of grey bark, 

 sometimes with a darker coloured bark and insect cocoons ; neatly lined 

 inside with a white, silky substance ; usually situated about ten or twelve 

 feet from the ground, in scrub. Dimensions over all, 2i to 3 inches 

 by If to 3 inches in depth; egg cavity, 2| inches across by IJ inches 

 deep. 



Eggs. — Clutch, two ; round oval in form ; texture fine ; surface 

 slightly glossy ; colour, rich fleshy-tint or salmon-pink, marked mode- 

 rately but somewhat boldly, and particularly round the upper quarter, 

 with rich pinldsh-crestnut and a few pui"plish spots. Tlie eggs, being 

 amongst the most richly-coloured of Australian Honeyeaters', are 

 exceedingly beautiful. Dimensions of a clutch in inches : (1) "8 x "G. 

 (2) -79 X -6. 



Ohservntinms. — As already mentioned, there have been more 

 svnonyms and confusion than enough, so much have doctors diflFered 

 about the identification of the Yellow-spotted Honeyeaters of Northern 

 Australia and contiguous localities. 



Finally, Dr. Sharpe has classified them into three races, according 

 to geographical distribution. Whether there be races, varieties, or 

 species, from an oological point of view (which is a somewhat sound one, 

 for " by their fruits ye shall know tliem ") there are certainly two 

 distinct Yellow-spotted Honeyeaters other than P. lewiivi inhabiting 

 Northern Queensland, and which it appears Gould has clearly pointed 

 out — first, the larger bird, P. imfntn, and second, the smaller species, 

 P. gracilis. The birds are precisely similar in appearance save in size ; 

 yet, while the eggs of the former resemble those of its southern cousin, 

 P. lewini, being white, with a few dark spots, the others, besides being 



