ENTOMOPIIILA 



83 



parts of Australia than one could expect to find in a species with a range extending to opposite 

 sides of the continent. 



Dr. Ernst Hartert, writing in -'Novitates Zoologica-,"- in January 1905, on ''A list of Birds 

 collected in North-wsstern Australia, and Arnhem Land" refers all the specimens procured to 

 Stigmatops ocularis, and remarks:—" I am perfectly convinced that "subocularis;' about which Gould 

 himself was always uncertain is based on young .?. ocularis:' 



Entomophila picta. 



PAINTED HONEY-EATEE. 

 Entomophila picta, Gould, Proo. Zool. !Soc., 1837, p. 154; id., Bds. Austr., fol, Vol. IV., pi. .50 (1S48); 

 id., Handbk. Bds. Austr., Vol. I., p. S30 (1865); Gadow, Cat. Bds. Brit. Mus., Vol. IX., p. 

 219 (1884); North, Vic. Nat., Vol. XVII., p. 127, (1900). 



Adult male — General colour above including the head, cheeka, ear-coverts and sides of the neck 

 brownish-black; bfhind thi- ear-coverts a small white spot; upper wing-coverts brownish-black, the 

 greater series narrowly edged with yellow: quills brotvnish-black broadly margined on their otUer webs 

 with bright yellow, and decreasing in extent towards the outermost primary on either side, which is 

 entirely blackish-brown; tail feathers brownish-black, externally marghied on their outer webs with 

 bright yelloiv, all but the central pair having a spot of white at the tip of their inner web, increasing 

 in size totvards the outermost feathers on either side ivliich have almost the apical half of the inner 

 web white, and their outer webs entirely brownish-black; a small spot on the chin blackish-brozva; 

 remainder of the under surface pure white; the fore neck and breast tvitio small and short longitudinal 

 central streaks of brotvnish-black, ivhich are larger on the loiuer flaiiks ; under tail-coverts pure white; 

 bill purplish-flesh colour at the base passiiig into ^fleshy-brown at the tip, the under mandible paler ; 

 legs and feel dark grey; iris dark hazel. Total length in the flesh 6-S inches, wing 3-5, tail 2-2, bill 

 'i-'i, tarsus 7. 



Adult V¥M.\L¥.—l{esrmbles the adult male, but is slightly smaller, and has tlw head, upper parts 

 and icings smoky-black instead of brotvnish-black. Wing .J'i inches. 



Distribution — New South Wales, Mctoria. 

 /T^HE Painted Honey-eater, one of the most beautiful and undoubtedly one of the rarest 

 _L species of the family Meliphagidce inhabiting Australia, is strictly confined to the south- 

 eastern portions of the continent. In addition to its scarcity it is nomadic in habits, all the 

 specimens I have seen in New S^uth Wales, being obtained in districts where it has only made 

 its appearance during one season, and up to the present time has not been seen again. 

 Writing me in 1905, Mr. E. H. Lane remarks; — "I never saw but one example oi Eniomophtla 

 picta during m v many years residence in the State, and that one was shot by my nephew in October 

 1892, on Wambangalang Station near Dubbo. Though he had previously watched it for hours 

 till it went tu roost at dusk, he did not find any nest, or notice a second bird." This specimen 

 which was sent me for identification, and is now in the .Vustralian Museum collection, although 

 apparently adult, has the lores, ear-coverts and cheek on one side of the head only, rich dark 

 brown. Wing 3-45 inches. Anotlier male in the collection, received in the flesh on the nth 

 October, 1S97, and shot the previous day by Mr. A. E. Hays of Stony Batter, Uralla, has the 

 entire under surface pure white with a few indistinct flecks of blackish-brown on the flanks only. 



* Nov. Zool., Vol. XII., p. 234 (1905). 



