MBLIPHAGID.E. 



Mr. H. G. Barnard on the 15th November, 1893, in the same locaHty, measures: — Length 

 (A) 0-79 X o'55 inches; (B) 0-82 x 0'57 inches; (C) o'Sa x 0-57 inches. 



October and the three following months constitute the usual breeding season of this species. 



^ Glycyphila modesta. 



UNADORNED HONEY-EATEK. 

 Glycyphila modesta, Gray, Proc. Zool. Soc, 18.58, pp. 174, 190: Salvad , Orn. Pap. et Molucc. Pt. 



II., p. 307 (1881) ; Gadow, Cat. Bds. Brit. Mus., Vol. IX., p. l'1.5 (1884). 

 Glyciphila sub/asciata, Ramsay, Proc. Zool. Soc, 1868 p. 3^-") ; Gould, Bds. New Guinea, Vol. III., 

 pi. 46 (187G). 



Adult UALB — Genei-al colour aboce brown, sligldly paler on the rump and upper tail-coverts; 

 upper wing-coverts like the back, the greater series edged externally with pale brown, the quills of a 

 darker brown than the back, edged externally u-ith pale brown, these margins being broader and lighter 

 on the innermost secondaries: tail feathers brown, narrowly edged with pale brown, these lighter edges 

 slightly more conspicuous around the tips; forehead and crown of the head brown with darker brown 

 centres, lores dark brown; ear-coverts brown, n-ith narron- tvhite shaft lines and whitish tips ; feathers 

 below the eye white, beneath them is a narrow hrotrn line from the angle of the mouth to the ear-coverts; 

 chin, throat, fore iieck and upper portion of the breast white, the chin and throat slightly tinged with 

 brown, and the fore neck and upper breast indistinctly barred with brown, sides of the latter brown; 

 remainder of the under surface white: under lail-coverts dull irhite with the remains of a nary-ow 

 hroivn longitudinal streak on one or two of the longer feathers : bill reddish-brown; legs and feet 

 reddish-brown. Total length '> inches, loing ..'•!', tail 1-7, bill ():'>, tarsus OS. 



Adult fe.m.\le — Similar in plumage to the male. Wing J-6 inches. 



Distribution — North Queensland, Southern portion of New Guinea, .\ru Islands. 



Al^HE Unadorned or Dull-banded Honey-eater chiefly inhabits the coastal districts of North- 

 -L eastern Queensland, from Cape York to the Herbert River, and also occurs in the 

 southern portions of New Guinea, and in the Aru Islands. 



Respecting this species in the Bloomfield River District, Mr. F. Hislop, writes: — ''Glvcvphila 

 modesta is only found in open forest lands, and about tea-tree swamps and waterholes. The nest 

 which is suspended from the end of a leafy branch is dome-shaped, and is made entirely from 

 the bark of the tea-tree. Two eggs are usually laid for a sitting. I have also taken an egg of 

 the Bronze Cuckoo from the nest of this Honey-eater." 



Mr. J. .V. Boyd who forwarded me nests and eggs and sent dates of taking eggs in every 

 month of the year except May, June and July, writes: — "I found a nest of G/irr/Zji/d modesta 

 on the 12th April, 1892, containing two fresh eggs, and nests were very plentiful in December 

 of the same year. I found two nests each with two fresh eggs, on the 6th January 1893, and 

 again on the 19th September and the 27th October, 1893, each with two fresh eggs. On the 

 i8th October, 1894, I took three eggs from an abnormal nest, ha\ ing iibre intermingled 

 with the tea-tree bark ; and on the i8th November, 1895, found a nest with two young ones 

 just ready to fly." 



Mr. .\. F. Smith writes from Hambledon, near Cairns: — " Glyeypkiln modesta is common, 

 and generally starts building about the middle of August, usually in trees overhanging water, 

 but sometimes in forest country well away from it. Their nests are also plentiful in the tea-tree 

 swamps near Ingham, and are always built throughout of tea-tree bark. Usually they are 

 dome-shape, Init not always, some are deep cup-shape with the edges drawn together so as to 



