Avifauna of New Caledonia. 505 



16. Glycyphila fasciata (Forster). 



This fine " Honey-sucker" is not at all uncommon in the 

 forest^ frequenting in considerable numbers certain trees when 

 in flower. When the blossoms disappear^ the birds dis- 

 appear also, and you may seek in vain for a single specimen 

 in the place that a short time previously rang with their clear 

 whistle and flute-like notes. They hang or climb in every 

 position to feed, grasping the branches, or flowers themselves, 

 with their strong curved claws. They are very pugnacious, 

 fighting amongst themselves and with any other bird that 

 attempts to share with them their sweet repast of flower- 

 nectar and small insects. 



Fresh-killed specimens measure — length 8", wing 3" 6"'. 

 tail 3" 5'", tarse 1", bill 1" 2'". Bill black ; legs and feet 

 dark silver-grey ; iris dark drab ; gape yellow. 



17. Glycyphila CHLOROPHiEA (Forst.). 



We cannot find any other Glycyphila than the two we have 

 here noticed in the island, and we believe that Gray^s G. mo- 

 desta, G. caledonica, &c. mlist all be referred to the difi'erent 

 phases of plumage of the bird under review. It varies much 

 with sex, age, and season, and we believe this has given rise 

 to the confusion. We are ashamed to say how many we have 

 killed in our endeavour to find another species ; but our ex- 

 cuse must be a desire to elucidate the question, and we plead, 

 in extenuation, that we have skinned and preserved for use 

 every individual that was worth preserving. 



We remark that no description we have seen notices the 

 curious dark greasy-looking spot just below and behind the 

 eye and over the ear. This replaces the bare patch, or 

 wattle, usually found in Ptilotis, and is composed of silky 

 feathers of a peculiar structure, best seen under the micro- 

 scope. 



This bird has a short, but not unpleasing, warble, and 

 when excited in a chase after a female, or in a battle with a 

 rival male, its voice is loud and vehement. It is the only 

 bird in New Caledonia that really sings. Like the preceding, 

 it climbs about the branches, feeding, in any position, on the 



