BIRDS OF TASMANIA. 57 



A rather curious trait that has been observed by all who have 

 had anything to do with the taking of this species' nest, and which 

 was first recorded by Mr. A. E. Brent, is the manner in which the 

 female bird clings to the nest when the tree in which it is built 

 is being felled and has even crashed to the ground. 



*FULVOUS-FRONTED OR TAWNY-CROWNED 

 HONEY-EATER 



(Glycypliila fulvifrons, Lewin). 



Male. — Crown of the head tawny; eyebrow white; a line of 

 brownish-black commences at the base of the bill, passes through 

 the eye down the sides of the neck to the breast; back dark brown, 

 shafts of the feathers greyish-white; wings and tail dark brown, 

 inner webs of quills edged with fulvous; throat, breast, and 

 abdomen white; sides of body and flanks ashy-brown; irides light 

 brown ; bill blackish -brown ; legs and feet brown. Dimensions in 

 mm. :- — Length, 155; bill, 16.5; wing, 81; tail, 70; tarsus, 23. 



Feviale. — Similar to male. 



Young. — A prominent patch of yellow on the throat, which dis- 

 appears when the birds put on adult plumage. 



Nest. — Cup-shaped and deep ; usually constructed of pieces of 

 soft bark and grass-stems; a few spiders' cocoons are often added ; 

 lined inside with soft grass, and then wool or cow-hair. A 

 favourite situation is in a low bush in open country. At both Kelso 

 and Bridport nests have been taken from the centre of a grass-tree 

 (XanthorrhcBa). 



Eggs. — Clutch two usually; inclined to oval in shape; texture 

 fine; surface fairly glossy; colour white, fainti3' tinged with pink 

 and sparingly spotted with chestnut or purplish brown or black. 

 Dimensions in mixi. of a clutch : — (1) 21 x 14, (2) 20.5 x 14. 



Breeding Season. — August to December. 



Geogia-pliical Distrihiition. — Tasmania and Kent Group ; also 

 New South Wales, Victoria, South and Western Australia. 



Observations. — Open, sandy, heath-clad country is mostly 

 favoured by this Honey-eater, which is not at all plentiful in the 

 island. Its flight is the most rapid of any of our Honey-eaters. 



I have but few records of this species in Tasmania beyond the 

 two localities above given, they being Lilydale, Waratah, Wilmot, 

 and the country lying about St. Helens. 



*YELLOW-THROATED HONEY-EATER 



{Ptilotis fiavigularis , Gould) - 



Male. — Head and cheeks blackish-grey; ear coverts greyish- 

 white ; upper surface, inckiding wings and tail, dark yellowish- 

 olive ; throat gamboge-yellow ; chest blackish-grey ; abdomen pale 

 grey tinged ^ith olive-green ; bill black ; legs and feet deep blackish- 



