99 



colour with minute darker spots. Here, again, one appears to be 

 fairly safe in assuming that the nest and eggs, etc., of the Silvery- 

 crowned would be similar. 



In a state of nature Gould states they are almost gre- 

 garious, the nests are so numerous and in such close proximity, 

 though in the breeding season they become very animated and 

 fierce, readily attacking Crows, Hawks and Magpies that may 

 venture near the nests. In the aviary the Silvery-crowned already 

 gives indications that the two pairs will soon have to be separated, 

 and I have no hesitation in saying that it would not be possible 

 to keep two adult pairs in the same enclosure in captivity. 



Short as my experience has been with the Australian 

 Honey-eaters it is my strong opinion that nearly all species 

 would thrive on milk sop, soft food, soft ripe fruit and live in- 

 sects, such as mealworms, beetles, cockroaches, grasshoppers, 

 etc. Their cage or enclosure should be a roomy one. 



Mr. Goodchild's fine drawing is most accurate and life-like 

 and renders unnecessary the lengthening out of these already too 

 verbose notes. 



At present it is too early to speak of sexual distinctions, 

 but those I take to be females are certainly a little smaller and 

 the feathers on the crown somewhat restricted in area. 



# 3? # 



The Sombre Honey - eater (Ma?iorhi?ia \_Myzauthia, 

 Gould], obscura) : Gould states that this species inhabits Swan 

 River and the S.W. portion of Australia generally, where it 

 beautifully represents the Garrulous Honey-eater of N.S. Wales. 

 He quotes Gilbert as follows : — 



" It inhabits every variety of wooded situation, in all parts of the colony, and is generally 

 '• met with in small families In flying the wings move very rapidly, but ,the bird does 

 " not make progress in proportion to the apparent exertion ; at times when passing 

 '* from tree to tree its flight is graceful in the extreme. The stomach is small but 

 " tolerably muscular, and the food, which consists of coleopterous and other insects, 

 " seeds and berries, is procured both on the ground and among the branches. The nest 

 " is built on an upright fork of the topmost branches of the smaller gum-trees, and is 

 " formed of small dried sticks lined with soft grasses and feathers. The eggs are of a 

 " rich orange-buff, obscurely spotted and blotched with a deeper tint, particularly at the 

 ''larger end. The sexes offer but little difference in colour, but the female is somewhat 

 "smaller in all her admeasurements." 



This is really a handsome species, and certainly does not 

 deserve such a misnomer as "obscure." Messrs. Payne and 



