Mr. E. P. Ramsay on Birds breeding near Sydney. 243 



confident that a close examination would show that, at the least, 

 five or six more species of Terns, most of which breed here, fre- 

 quent the same localities. 



I once saw the curious Scissor-bill a little below Thebes, but 

 did not succeed in shooting it. It has also been killed at Da- 

 mietta. 



My remarks have extended to so much greater length than I 

 had expected, that my list will have to be postponed a little while 

 longer, during which time I may probably be able to add some 

 more species to it. In conclusion, some apology is perhaps due 

 for having kept pretty much to the ground touched upon by Dr. 

 Leith Adams in his paper ; but my excuse for having done so is 

 the desire I felt to establish certain points, to correct others 

 that seemed to require it, and, lastly, the necessity there was for 

 adopting some plan for giving the most useful information 

 within moderate limits. 



XIX. — Notes on Birds breeding in the Neighbourhood of Sydney. 



By E. P. Ramsay, Esq., of Dobroyde. 



[Continued from vol. v. p. 447.] 



6. The Yellow-tufted Honey-eater [Ptilotis auricomis, 

 Gould, B. Austr. iv. pi. 37.). 



The Yellow-tufted Honey-eater, although very common about 

 Sydney, is perhaps one of the most beautiful species we have ; 

 nor are the eggs of this species less beautiful than the birds 

 themselves. 



It gives preference to the more open underwood of young 

 Eucalyptus and Wattle trees {Acacia decurrens), which are plen- 

 tiful near Dobroyde, Enfield, and Paramatta, rather than to the 

 dense scrubland nearer the coast. I have met with this species 

 as far inland as Manar, between Braidwood and Goulburn, 

 where, through the kind assistance of my young friend, Mr. Her- 

 bert Gordon, I procured several rare specimens both of birds and 

 eggs. Like most of its tribe, the Yellow-tufted Honey-eater 

 is very partial to fruit, and, during the latter end of February 

 and throughout the month of March, the pear-trees with us 

 swarm with this and many other species. During the orange- 



