NESTS A.\'D EGGS 01- AVSTRALIAN BIRDS. 



429 



In tlie British Museum Catalogue the Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater 

 is placed in the same genus as the Wattle Birds ( Amnthnrhfrrn ). 

 Gould, although somewhat dubious on the point, placed it in a distinct 

 genus. Oologically speaking, he was coiTect in doing so. 



My conespdrulent, Mr. Tom Cai-tcr, brought under my notice 

 a Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater which lie obtained near the North-west 

 Cape. It differs from AranthixjeniiK rufigularix in its smaller size, 

 lighter or more yollowi.sh tinge of the plumage, and by the yellow 

 spines on the cheeks instead of white. Tliis variety I have pro\'isionally 

 named A. flnvnranthus, or Yellow-spined Honeyeater.* 



Comparative dimensions in inches of the eastern and western birds : 

 .1. rup'i/iihiri^. length lOj,, wing Auh. tail 4;,, bill -75, tarsus 1-0; 

 A. flavacanthux, length 9^, wing 40, tail 4 bill -7, tarsus 9. 



360. — ENTitMYZ.\ CYANOTis, Latham.- — (346) 



BLUE-FACED HONEYEATER. 



Figure. — Gould : Birds of Australia, fol., vol. iv., pi. 68. 



Kefcrence. — Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., vol. ix., p. 268. 



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



also Handbook, vol. i., p. 562 (1865); North: Austn. Mus. 



Cat., p. 223, pi. 12, fig. I (1889) ; Campbell : Proc. Austn. 



.Assoc, vol. vii.. p. 647 (iSqS). 



GeoffrnphirnI Dixtrihufiati. — Queensland, New South Wales, Vietoria 

 and South Australia. 



Neiit. — Cup-shaped, round, neat ; composed of strips of bark, in some 

 instances with grass ; usually placed in a depression on the top or side 

 of the deserted large-domed stick nest of the Babbler or Pnwnfor- 

 hirnia iempnrnlis. In some instances the nest is su.spended in the 

 ordinary Honeyeater-like fashion in the branchlets of a tree, and is 

 substantially constructed of coarse strips of bark ; lined inside with 

 fine, reddish-brown (inner) bark, and a small quantity of grass. 

 Dimensions over all of the latter kind of nest, about 6 inches by 4 

 inches in depth ; egg civity, about .3f inches across by 2 inches deep. 



EfigR. — Clutch, two. rarely three ; oval or round oval in form ; 

 t«xture fine ; surface slightly glossy ; colour, pinkish-buff or delicate 

 salmon-tint, boldly blotched and spotted about the apex with rich 

 chestnut-brown and dull-purple. Exactly resemble those of the Wattle 

 Bird ( Aenvth(ir]i(Frn rnriniciihitti ), with the exception that the markings 



• Victorian Naturalist, vol. xvi., p. 3 (iSgn! Mr. Carter has since kindly 

 forwarded an adult skin with vhilc spines on the cheek. Even supposing the 

 xellow spines on the former specimen denote immaturity, I think there still remain 

 differences which .=ieparate the western from the eastern race ol these birds 



