INSESSORES. 457 



Australian Fauna, is, I believe, exclusively confined to the 

 eastern portion of the country ; it is occasionally seen in the 

 neighbourhood of Sydney, which appears to be the extent of 

 its range to the southward and westward. I met with it in 

 the brushes at Maitland in company, and feeding on the same 

 trees, with the Satin- and Cat-Birds and the Mimeta viridis ; 

 it is still more abundant on the Manning, at Port Macquarrie, 

 and at Moreton Bay ; I sought for and made every inquiry 

 respecting it at Illawarra, but did not meet with it, and was 

 informed that it is never seen there, yet the district is 

 precisely similar in character to those in which it is abundant, 

 about two degrees to the eastward : while encamped on 

 Mosquito Island, near the mouth of the River Hunter, I shot 

 several, and observed it to be numerous on the neighbouring 

 islands, particularly Baker's Island, where there is a fine 

 garden, and where it commits serious injury to the fruit 

 crops. 



Although I have spoken of this bird as abundant in the 

 various localities referred to, I must mention that at least 

 fifty out of colour may be observed to one fuUy-plumaged 

 male, which, when adorned in its gorgeous livery of golden 

 yellow and deep velvety black, exhibits an extreme shyness of 

 disposition, as if conscious that its beauty, rendering it a 

 conspicuous object, might lead to its destruction ; it is usually 

 therefore very quiet in its actions, and mostly resorts to the 

 topmost branches of the trees ; but when two gay-coloured 

 males meet, conflicts frequently take place. To obtain spe- 

 cimens in their full dress, considerable caution is necessary ; 

 on the other hand, females and immature males are very 

 tame, and, when feeding among the foliage, appear to be so 

 intent upon their occupation as not to heed the approach of 

 an intruder ; and I have occasionally stood beneath a low 

 tree, not more than fifteen feet high, with at least ten feeding 

 voraciously above me. 



I did not succeed in discovering the nest; but the late 



