TNSESSORES. 563 



maries and all but the two centre tail-feathers brown ; the 

 tail-feathers tipped with white ; basal portion of the bill pale 

 bluish grey, passing into blackish horn-colour at the tip ; bare 

 space surrounding the eye rich deep blue, becoming of a 

 lighter and greenish hue above the eye; irides yellowish 

 white ; eyelash jet-black ; feet bluish grey. 



The young of the first autumn have the eye dark olive with 

 a black lash, and the denuded parts surrounding it, the base 

 of the under mandible and the gape greenish brimstone- 

 yellow; nostrils and culmen near the head yellowish horn- 

 colour, passing into blackish brown at the tip ; feet very 

 similar to those of the adult. 



Sp. 346. ENTOMYZA ALBIPENNIS, Gould. 



White-quilled Honey-eater. 



Entomyza alb'tpennis, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc, part viii. p. 169. 

 Wur-ra-luh, Aborigines of Port Essington, 



Entomyza albipennis, Gould, Birds of Australia, fol., vol. iv. 

 pi. 69. 



The Bntom^za albipennis exhibits so many specific differ- 

 ences from the E. ci/anotis, that it is almost impossible for 

 one to be mistaken for the other: in the first place it is 

 smaller in size, and in the next the tints of the plumage 

 are more strongly contrasted; besides which, the white at 

 the basal portion of the quills is a character which will 

 at all times distinguish it from its near ally. So far as 

 is yet known, its habitat is confined to the northern coast of 

 Australia, where it is said to be rather abundant, particularly 

 in the neighbourhood of the settlement at Port Essington. 

 Gilbert states that it "is one of the first birds heard in the 

 morning, and often utters its plaintive peet half-an-hour before 

 daylight ; but as soon as the sun is fairly above the horizon, 

 its note is changed to a harsh squeaking tone, which is fre- 

 quently uttered while the bird is on the wing, and repeated 



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