392 NESTS AN to EGGS QE AUSTRALIAN BIRDS. 



327. — Ptilotis versicolor, Gould. — (308) 



VARIED HONEYEATER. 



figure. — Gould ; Birds of Australia, fol., vol. iv,, pi. 34. 

 Reference. — Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., vol. ix , p 234 



Geographical Distribution. — North Qvieenslaud aud New Guinea. 



Nest and Eijgs. — Undcscribed. 



Observations. — The Varied Honeyeater is oue of the finest species of 

 its family. Little is known of its economy. 



328. — Ptilotis chrysops, Latham. — (320) 

 YELLOW-FACED HONEYEATER. 



Figure. — Gould : Birds of Australia, fol,, vol. iv., pi. 45, 



Reference. — Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., vol. ix., p. 236. 



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

 Handbook, vol. i., p. 521 (1S65); North; Austn. Mus. Cat, p. 208, 

 pi. 12, fig. 16 (i88g) ; Campbell ; I'roc. Austn. Assoc, vol. vii, 

 p. 614(1898). 



Geoyraphicul Distribution.— Qin^cnslaad, New South Wales, Victoria 

 and South Australia. 



Xest. — ^Elegant, cup-shaped, deep, with swollen sides ; somewhat 

 frailly constructed of fine curly pieces of beautiful moss intermingled 

 with spiders' web, sometimes with fine slueds of bark added ; inside lined 

 with very fine Ught^coloured rootlets and pieces of grass ; usually situ- 

 ated in a low bush, particularly a melaleuca or leptospcnnum, 

 overhanging a stream, or sometimes sewn, as it were, by the rim with 

 cob-web to a fern (bracken) frond. Dimensions over all, 3 inches by 

 2^ inches in depth ; egg cavity, 2 inches across by 2 inches deep. 



Eggs. — Clutch, two to three ; lengthened in form ; texture, fine ; 

 surface slightly glossy ; colour light reddish or pinkish-buff, marked and 

 freckled all over, and in a confluent patch round the apex, with rich, 

 reddish-chestnut aud piuplish-grey ; the eggs are singular for this genus, 

 and somewhat resemble those of the Miner (Myzanthu garrnla) in 

 miniature. However, some examples arc whiter in the gi"ouud-colour, 

 with round spots about the apex. Dimensions in inches of a jjroper 

 pail-: (1) •82x-57, (2) -74 x -54. (Plate 14.) 



Observations. — The cheerful Yellow-faced Honeyeater, as Gould 

 states, may be regarded as a common species, and inhabits all the 

 eastern States, more particularly the coastal regions. It is very des- 



