58 BIRDS OF TASMANIA. 



brown. Diineusious in mm.: — Length, 192; bill, 14; wing, 93; 

 tail, 95 ; tarsus, 24. 



Female. — Similar in plumage to male. 



Yoxaig. — Upper and under surfaces greyish ; no yellow on throat. 



Nest. — A warmly constructed cup-shaped structure ; outwardly 

 composed of soft bark, twigs, grass, and spiders' web; the inside 

 lining being usually fur, wool, hair, and the like. Although the 

 usual situation is in a low bush, yet at times the centre of a clump 

 of band-grass is chosen. Then, again, another nest was in a tea- 

 tree bush overhanging a river and some 10 feet from the surface of 

 the water. 



Eggs. — Clutch two to three; somewhat oval in shape; texture 

 fine ; surface slightly glossy ; colour a delicate pinkish-white, 

 spaiingly spotted with reddish-brown and purplish-grey ; the 

 majority of the markings are frequently concentrated in an open 

 zone round the larger end. Dimensions in mm. of a clutch : — (1) 

 25 X 17, (2) 25.5 x 16.75, (3) 24 x 16.5. 



A clutch from Flinders Island differs in three respects from the 

 above one — viz., the ground colour is deeper; there is no zone, but 

 the spots are somewhat thickly scattered over the stouter end; 

 and the purplish-grey predominates. Dimensions in mm. of this 

 clutch :— (1) 26 x 19, (2) 27 x 19, (3) 26 x 19.5. 



Breeding Season. — August to December. 



Geographical Distribution. — Tasmania, King and several other 

 islands in Bass Strait. 



Observations. — The Yellow-throated Honey-eater is fairly well 

 distributed over the island. In some districts it is very plentiful, 

 while in others, where the nature of the country does not suit it. 

 it is rare, if not altogether wanting. It favours fairly heavily 

 timbered country, from whence it procures its food, when flower- 

 ing trees and shrubs are not plentiful, which consists of various 

 kinds of insects obtained from under the bark of the trees of its 

 haunts, as well as flies, &c. The vocal powers of the species are 

 practically limited to a loud whistle-like call note, often repeated. 

 The favourite position when uttering this call note is on the top- 

 most bough of some tree or sapling. 



In several districts in Northen Tasmania where " small fruit " 

 growing is rather extensively gone in for, this Honey-eater is con- 

 sidered a perfect pest during the spring and summer months, owing 

 to the ravages it makes among the cherries, currants, and goose- 

 berries. Its local name in these districts is the " Green Cherry- 

 Picker. ' ' 



*CRESC,ENT HONEY-EATER (Tasmanian Hokey-eater) 

 {Meliornis australasiana, Shaw). 



Male. — Upper surface, including head, dusky-black; tail 

 brownish-black, fringed with golden-yellow at the base; two outer- 

 most feathers with a large and the third with a medium-sized oval 



