131 



Ptilotis penicillata. 



WinrE-PLl'MED HO.VEV-EATER. 

 Mdiphaija penicUhUa, Goukl, Proc. Zoo). 800., 183G, p. 143. 

 Ftilotis penicillatus, Gould, Bds. Austr., fol, Vol. IV., pi. 43 (1848). 



Ptilotis penicillata, Gould, Handbk. P.ih. Austr., Vol. I., p. bVd (1865); Gadow, Cat. Bds. Brit. 

 Mus., Vol. IX., p. 244 (1884). 



Adult male. — Gcnrml ,;,h,\ii- almrr ji,ih' ijnii'ixh-liriiu-ti dUjliilji liiiijirl ,rith ulir,' : llu' riimji mid 

 Ujiji.r t,r,l-rn,-rrts mnrr ^1 ronijl n ir.idied irllh dull ,r,i;-,,,U,„r: nppvr ,rui,j-,;,r,'rt^ likf th.- hark, the 

 yrnater series was/ted tvith olive-i/iUmr : (/mils hi-mi-u tJicir milrr webs exterindl 1/ uinriii mil irifh uliiy- 

 yeUoiv, except the apical portio7i, and tipx nfthi- pn muni's n-Jm-li In some specitui us hurr inirrnir ii-Iidlsh 

 edges; t,(U frulhi'is hma-n fin- rnilnd pnir mid nntir irrhs ,,/ tin- rruiulndi-r irnshrd n-ith „r,,:'-,ii'U,„c ; 

 crownof 111 "d mill hl„d mrk likr tin- hurk hut stmiiijl ,/ inishrd irUl, d uU ipUnir : Inn-s, sid.s ,,f the 

 hfiid iind riir-riiri'iis dull ijilluir: hilinid Ihr rar^rurrrts n lii/t n/sUki/ irhdr phrnii-s: idl till- Hiidn- 

 s>ir/iii-r pull- hrnirnish-irhilr, fuihtn- i„i tlir mitrr 1,/ ihr Imrrr hmist .11, d thi' uhdi.im,,, mid inishrd 

 wit], ,p'lli„r in, Ihi- rh'ni, thmut, fnn- inrl.- in,d iipprr hrmsl, irli'irh is ,„„i-i' rnuspU-iiniis 1,11 tin- linrrr 

 thrniit inid/nri- nrrk : ,1 ndiT t,id-n, mis /unit iplliiirish-irhd, ,rdh pnlr liniini slin/l st rniks .■ hdl hlnrk; 

 leys midfeet reddisli-hroicn; iris dnrk hmini. Total lenijth in tlie jiesh li-75 inches, x-ini/ -I-.'/, tail J, 

 bill 0:5, tarsus 0-86. 



Adult fe.m.\lk — Similar in plumage to tlie male, but smaller. 



Distribution — Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia. 



^^HE type of this familiar and well-known species, described by Gould, was obtained in 

 New South Wales, over the central and western portions of which it is freely distributed. 

 It is exceedingly common in \'ictoria and South Australia, especially in the southern parts, 

 and is the best known species of the genus around Melbourne and Adelaide. Although so 

 numerous in the coastal districts of the two latter States, it does not occur near the coast in New 

 South \Vales; probably this is the reason Gould remarked this species was rarely met with there. 

 In the latter State I found it abundant about Wellington and Dubbo, and especially in the 

 Eucalypti on the banks of the Bell and Macquarie Rixers, and later on in North-western New 

 South Wales in the trees bordering the banks of the Namoi, Mehi, and Gwydir Rivers, to which 

 localities it appeared to be almost entirely confined, for it evinces a decided preference for the 

 vicinity of water. Open forest lands are also favourite haunts of this species; in Victoria and 

 South Australia it breeds in private and public gardens in the cities. 



When engaged in searching for food among the leafy sprays or blossoms of the Eiicalvpti, a 

 single note only is usually uttered, but when alarmed, or if one is in the vicinity of its nest, a 

 succession of evident keen notes of displeasure are rapidly poured forth, as it boldly approaches 

 within a few feet of the intruder. 



Among a large series of specimens in the Australian Museum collection are e.xamples from 

 the Dawson River, Queensland, the Gwydir, Darling, Lachlan, Bell, and Macquarie Rivers, 

 New South Wales, and the vicinity of Melbourne, Victoria, and Adelaide, South Australia. 

 Variation is found in the tint of plumage of examples from different localities. Specimens from 

 the vicinity of Adelaide and Melbourne are darker than those procured from the margins of the 

 Darling and Lachlan Rivers, New South Wales, but there is not so marked a difference between 

 specimens from the latter localities than those obtained on the Gwydir River, Northern New 

 South Wales and the Dawson l^iver, Queensland. 



