518 BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 



Head and all the under surface delicate citron -yellow, the 

 yellow prevailing over the head ; immediately under the ear- 

 coverts a spot of blackish brown, posterior to which is a spot 

 of bright yellow ; the remainder of the plumage olive-grey. 



Total length 4^ inches ; bill f ; wing 2| ; tail 2 J ; tarsi f . 



Sp. 317. PTILOTIS PLAVA, Gould. 



Yellow Honey-eater. 



Ptilotis flava, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc, part x. p. 136. 

 Meliphaga flava, Gray, Gen. of Birds, vol. i. p. 122^ Meliphaga, sp. 7. 



Ptilotis flava, Gould, Birds of Australia, foL, vol. iv. pi. 42. 



This new species may be distinguised from all its con- 

 geners by the uniform colouring of its plumage ; it is in fact 

 a most remarkable bird, inasmuch as I scarcely recollect one 

 similarly coloured in any genus that has come under my 

 notice. I regret that, as regards the history of this Honey- 

 eater, its range over the Australian continent, its habits and 

 economy, all is a perfect blank ; a single specimen is all I 

 have at present seen ; this was procured by one of the officers 

 of Her Majesty's Ship the ' Beagle,' while employed on the 

 north coast. Tlie names of Captain Stokes, Lieutenant Emery, 

 and Mr. Bynoe have been repeatedly mentioned in this work, 

 with feelings of personal gratification that their labours have 

 been useful to science. It now only remains for me to describe 

 the colours of this bird ; having I trust thrown out a suffi- 

 cient hint to those who may visit its native country, and may 

 have opportunities of observing it, that contributions to its 

 history are very desirable. 



Head and all the under surface delicate citron -yellow, the 

 yellow prevailing over the head ; immediately under the ear- 

 coverts is a spot of blackish brown, posterior to which is a patch 

 of briglit yellow, the remainder of the plumage olive-grey. 



Total length 6^ inches ; bill | ; wing 3^ ; tail 3^ ; tai'si f , 



