62 BIRDS OF TASMANIA. 



Breeding Season. — August to December. 



Geographical Distribution. — Tasmania, New South Wales, Vic- 

 toria, South Austraha, and South Queensland. 



Observations.— For some reason almost if not quite impossible 

 to determine, this species is very irregularly distributed over the 

 island. From many districts where other Honey-eaters are plenti- 

 ful it is entirely absent. Cultivated and semi-cultivated tracts 

 are its favourite haunts. It is, perhaps, the noisiest of any of 

 our birds ; it keeps up an almost unceasing chatter in a scolding 

 voice. Should one happen to be stalking some other bird or 

 animal, and a Miner be in the vicinity, it will speedily give warning 

 of one's presence by loud cries of alarm. It ofteji associates in 

 flocks 20 to 30 strong Though appearing to court the company of 

 other species, it is nevertheless of a quarrelsome disposition, con- 

 tinually engaging in heated argument over nothing in particular. 

 The food of this species consists principally of the honey from 

 eucalypt and honeysuckle blossoms. All descriptions of insects are 

 also consumed. A large proportion of its insect food is procured 

 on the ground from among the grass and on cultivated fields. 

 When feeding in the trees many curious antics are performed as it 

 clings by its feet to the extreme tips of the twigs. The flight is 

 very laboured, and progress slow. By the way in which the wings 

 are used one would imagine great speed was being evolved; it is 

 altogether an ugly flier. 



WATTLE-BIED 



{Acanthochcera inauris, Gould). 



Male. — Crown of the head and back of the neck striped with 

 black and grey, each feather being centred with black and fringed 

 with grey; back and shoulders dusky-brown; primaries blackish- 

 brown, tipped with white ; outer webs greyish-white ; two centre 

 tail feathers dark grey, rest blackish-brown, all broadly tipped with 

 white, giving the under side of the tail a graduated appearance; 

 chin white; neck blackish-gi'ey, feathers obscurely tipped with 

 silvery-grey; feathers on chest grey and lanceolate, narrowly cen- 

 tred with black; breast and flanks buffy-grey, the feathers with 

 broad black centres ; centre of abdomen rich yellow ; bill black ; legs 

 and feet light flesh colour; bare skin round the ear, and upper 

 extremity of long, pendulous wattle, which hangs from below the 

 ear, white, gradually deepening into rich orange. Dimensions in 

 mm. :— Length, 397; bill, 21; wing, 160; tail, 235; tarsus, 33. 



Female. — Similar to male. 



Nest. — Flattish; sometimes bulky; constructed of twigs and 

 grass, and lined with soft grass and fur or wool ; usually situated in 

 low to moderate-sized trees. 



^99^- — Clutch two to three; elongated oval in shape; fine of 



