INSESSORES. 567 



frequently uttered by the female as by the male. Like the 

 Melithreptus lunidatm, it frequents the leafy branches, which 

 it threads and creeps among with the greatest ease and 

 dexterity, assuming in its progress a variety of graceful atti- 

 tudes. Insects and the pollen of flowers being almost its sole 

 food, those trees abounding with blossoms are visited by it in 

 preference to others. 



With the nest and eggs of this species I am unacquainted ; 

 they are therefore desiderata to my cabinet, and would be 

 thankfully received from any person resident in the colonies. 

 That the nest when discovered will be cup-shaped in form, 

 and suspended by the rim to the smaller branches of the 

 Eucalypti, and that the eggs will be two or three in number, 

 there can be little doubt. 



Crown of the head black, an occipital band of white 

 terminating at each eye; ear-coverts and back of the neck 

 black ; back and rump golden olive ; wings and tail brown ; 

 throat greyish white, with a central stripe of black ; under sur- 

 face greyish brown; bill black ; feet and tarsi brownish orange; 

 irides hazel; bare skin above the eye beautiful bluish green. 



Total length 6 inches ; bill f ; wing 3|- ; tail 2f ; tarsi -J. 



There is no variation in the colouring of the sexes, but 

 a very considerable difference between the young and old 

 birds, particularly in the colouring of the soft parts, the 

 young having the gape, lower mandible, and feet yellowish 

 orange. 



This bird, the M. validirostris and the doubtful M. brevi- 

 rostris, spoken of on page 569, differ from the other members 

 of the genus in having brown wings and a sordid brown 

 under surface, which feature in the colouring is in favour of 

 Dr. Bennett's and Mr. Angas's views of the latter being distinct 

 and not the young of M. lunulatus. 



