64 Campbell. Additions io " H. L. White Collection." [^^^ 



Oct. 



commissioning Mr. Neville Cayley to execute the original drawing 

 of the coloured plate which appears in this issue, the subject being 

 the Yellow-spotted Honey-eater and the following species, the 

 Lesser Yellow-.-potted Honey-eater. These birds, also frequenting 

 the same scrubs, are sometimes, in the field, if not seen together, 

 mistaken one for the other. Reference to the illustrations above 

 mentioned of the respective nests will show that both are lined 

 with the same kind of white silky substance. The eggs of the 

 Spotted Honey-eater are white, sparingly spotted, resembling 

 those of P. lewinii, while the eggs of the Lesser Yellow-spotted 

 bird, besides being smaller, are more flesh-tinted, and are not 

 unlike typical eggs of the Crescent Honey-eater {Lichmera austral- 

 asiana). 



The Austrahan habitat of the Yellow-spotted and Lesser Yellow- 

 spotted Honey-eaters extends from Rockingham Bay district to 

 Cape York, and' probably includes the Gulf of Carpentaria country. 



*Ptilotis gracilis, Gould. Lesser Yellow-spotted Hone^^-eater. 

 Microptilotis g. gracilis. 



One o, I ?• A typical pair, forming useful material, and agreeing 

 with skins from the Cape York mainland. Birds Mr. H. G. 

 Barnard and I obtained in Cardwell scrubs are apparently sliglitly 

 darker above and lighter on the under surface, especially the 

 throat — the result of different environment, doubtless — but there 

 is not the slightest ornithological or other need to emphasize 

 trinomially such natural variation in plumage. Hear a few 

 thrusts by Dr. Jonathan Dwight {Auk, xxi., p. 65) on the 

 subject of the exaltation of sub-species : — " Its value . . . 

 is impaired by the undue prominence which it has attained." 

 " We must beware lest we name that which exists only in our 

 expectant mind." " We forget that, as names multiply, they 

 lose in definiteness of meaning." " True science does not receive 

 much uplifting from the mere re-naming ... of skin and 

 feathers," &.c. 



Tropidorhynchus buceroides, Swainson. Helmeted Friar-Bird. 

 JSeophilemon b. yorki. 



'T)ne ?. Typical of the mainland species, and identical with 

 a female obtained at Cardwell by Mr. H. G. Barnard ^\•hile 

 collecting for Mr. H. L. White. 



On Moa this large Honey-eater was frequently seen,, and was 

 nesting. 



[Heard a bird call that I thought was a Rail of some sort. Sat 

 down and started to imitate the call — rather a difficult job. In 

 about half an hour the bird called again, apparently from the 

 ground, about 50 yards away. It called again, this time in the tree 

 above me. It was a Friar-Bird. I never heard one utter this 

 call previously— a hissing, throaty " Kurr-rk," slowly repeated 

 eight or ten times.] 



Munia assimilis, Mathews. Dark-breasted Finch. 

 Lonchitra c. castaneothorax. 



