3q8 nests and eggs of Australian birds. 



334. — Ptilotis auricomis, Latham. — (312) 

 YELLOW-TUFTED HONEYEATER. 



Figure. — Gould : Birds of Australia, fol., vol iv , pi. 37. 



Reference. — Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., vol. ix., p. 242. 



Previous Descrif'tioiis 0/ Eggs. — Ramsay: Ibis, p. 243 (1S64) ; Gould: 

 Birds of Australia, Handbook, vol. i., p. 512 (1865) ; North : Austn 

 Mus. Cat., pi. 12, fig. 14 (1889) ; Campbell : Proc. Austn Assoc , 

 vol. vii., p. 619 (1898). 



drogrn phicnl Dixfn'hiifinn. — Queensland, New South Wales, and 

 Victoria. 



Nest. — Cup-shaped, substantial ; constructed of fine strips of brownisli- 

 coloured bark (chiefly), and grass matted with cocoons, sometimes of 

 various colours ; inside lined with grass, and on the bottom with soft 

 reeds — thistle, clematis, &c. ; usually suspended in a creeper, sapling, 

 or small tree in open forest country. Dimensions over all, 3i to 4 

 inches by 2 J to 3 inches in depth; egg cavity, 2 J to 2i inches by U 

 to 2 inches deep. 



Ee/r/'i. — Clvitch, two to three ; short in form, abruptly compressed 

 towards one end ; texture, fine ; faint trace of gloss on surface ; coloiu', 

 rich or pinkish-buff, darker on the apex ; moderately and finely sjwttcd 

 with pinkish-red or rufous and pin-plish-grey, the majority of the 

 markings being about the larger end. Dimensions of a clutch in inches : 

 (1) -SSx-ee, (2) •82x-63. (Plate 14.) 



Ohservotions. — The Yellow-tufted Honey cater has a beautiful, rich, 

 golden-tinted plumage, especially on the under surface, with a lengthened 

 tuft of extremely rich yellow feathers extending backwards from the ear. 



This exceedingly handsome and attractive Honeyeater favours the 

 more inland portions of South Queensland, New South Wales, and 

 Victoria, and especially loves ironbark (E)irfilyptnsj forests. It has a 

 characteristic and high-pitched call note. 



Some species of Honeyeaters are gi-egarious at times. Towards the 

 end of one summer (March, 1889) I witnessed the unusual sight of about 

 one hundred or more of the beautiful Yellow-tufted Honeyeaters flying 

 in a flock northward across the rich flats of Bacchus Marsh. 



I have observed Yellow-tufted Honeyeatere nesting in the ironbai-k 

 saplings near Bendigo, also on the Upper Werribee, but was always 

 imfortunate in the matter of seciunng eggs. A nest from the latter 

 locality, found in a golden wattle ( Ararin ) sapling, was somewhat large, 

 deep, and firmly btiilt of fine strips of reddish strings of bark, together 

 with spiders' cocoons, and was lined inside with finer shreds of the .same 

 coloured bark, thistle-down, and such-like soft seeds. 



Tiie eggs in my collection ai'c from Dr. Ramsay, who has enjoyed 

 early and delightful nesting experiences with this beautiful Honeyeater, 

 and whose remarks I make no apology for qvioting at length : " This 

 species remains with \is in the neighbourhood of Sydney throughout the 



