3(j6 NESTS AND EGGS OF AUSTRALIAN BIRDS. 



Nest and Eijys. — Undescribed. 



Ohnervations. — These finely-shaped Honeyeaters, wliidi, as Gould 

 points out, difPer from the other members of the genus in the distinct 

 bars of pale-yellow and brown which mark the throat and fore part of 

 tlie neck, are generally found in belts of mangi-oves on the Queensland 

 coast, and adjacent low, swampy islands, and ai'e sometimes called the 

 Island Honeyeater. During an exciu'sion with Mr. A. W. Milligan, 

 on the Lower Fitzroy, we found the birds making the mangi-oves merry 

 with their pleasant notes. The birds were extremely shy, nevertheless 

 we succeeded in pi'ocuiing a couple of skins. 



332. — Ptilotis leucotis, Latham. — (311) 

 WHITE-EARED HONEYEATER. 



Figure. — Gould : Birds of Australia, fol., vol. iv., pi. 36. 



Rejermcc. — Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., vol. ix., p, 240. 



Previous Descriptions 0] Eggs, — Campbell : Southern Science Record 

 (1883); North: Austn. Mus. Cat., p. 201, pi. 13, fig. 5 (i8Sg); also 

 app. ii. (i8go) ; Campbell : Proc Austn Assoc, vol. vii., p. 618. 

 (1898). 



Geograplitcal Distribution. — Austraha in general, except North. 



Nest. — Cup-shaped, deep; well constiiicted of fine bark and grass, 

 matted together with spiders' cocoons; lined inside with a wann ply 

 of cow or other hair; usually placed neai" the ground in a thick bush 

 or in low scrub. Dimensions over all, 3A inches to 4 inches by 2i to 

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



Etjijs. — Clutcli, two usually, three occasionally; stout oval; texture 

 fine ; siu^face slightly glossy ; coloiu", almost white, but sometimes of a 

 delicate flesh-tint, sparingly but distinctly marked and spotted with 

 pinlrish-red, the spots being more about the upper c|uarter. Dimensions 

 in inches of a proper pair : (1) -86 x -64, (2) -85 x -63. 



Observations. — This fine, showy Honeyeater, vrith conspicuous white 

 ears, is not an uuconunon bird in lightly-timbered and heathy tracts 

 of country in Victoria and other southern parts. It js a scarce bird in 

 Western Austraha. I fancy Dr. Ramsay's north-west habitat for this 

 species needs verifiaitiou ; however, although not mentioned in the 

 " List of Birds " of the Calvert Expedition, Mr. Keartland informs me 

 a specimen was procui'ed near the tropics. 



Tlie bird is an early breeder. I had always to be afield in the 

 coastal sci-ubs about the beginning of September if I wanted fresh eggs. 

 The nest is difficult to find amongst the at'res of thick, short scrub, 

 and frequently is only detected by watching the movements of the bird, 

 which at all times ai'e exceedingly wily. My greatest find of White- 



