I06 Fletcher, Honey-caters of Cleveland Disiricl, Tas. [^nd"oct 



Strong-billed Honey-eater {Melithreptus validirosfris). — Though 

 I obser\-etl these birds m the district, I was not able to watch them 

 at all, and only once came across a nest, which was. however, 

 destroyed before completion. The birds were sometimes to be 

 seen perched on the telegraph wires, but. as a rule, I consider 

 them rare in the district, 

 species, like its forerunner, is rather scarce, several pairs only 



This Black-headed Honey-eater {Melithreptus melanocephalus). — 

 being seen m certani la\oured localities where were a few acres 

 of gum saplings. I found one nest built at the end of a pendulous 

 branch, but. alas ! the Crows also found and destroyed it. The 

 Honey-eaters forsook the locality. 



Fulvous-fronted Honey-eater {Glycyphila julvijrons). — I was 

 interested to hnd this little bird in our district, but it was very 

 local. It was only seen in a limited area of banksia scrub which 

 extended along the railway line for a few miles. Owing to its 

 shy, almost mouse-like nature, observation of its habits without 

 field-glasses was difficult, for it invariably flitted out of sight amongst 

 the undergrowth as soon as a near inspection was made. I was 

 pleased to record it for our district, because I believe it generally 

 prefers the banksian and boobyalla areas around the coasts. 



Whilst spending the last Christmas holidays at Swansea, on the 

 East Coast, I frequently flushed these birds from the shrubs on 

 the sand-hills. 



At Cleveland I discovered the nest of this species twice. Whilst 

 examining the railway banksias I noticed a nest in the heart of 

 one. On parting the branches a Fulvous Honey-eater slipped 

 quickly off and disappeared through the twigs on the other side. 

 The nest was deep, and made of strips of a wild " thyme," which 

 is the favourite nesting material of most of the birds in this dis- 

 trict. The inside was lined with soft shredded bark, also having 

 some cocoons and feathers interwoven. This snug cradle con- 

 tained two eggs. Date, loth October, 1908. The following year 

 (30/10/09), I found another nest of same species a few yards 

 away from the site of the above, but the ragged nest showed that 

 a tragedy had taken place. From appearances the brooding bird 

 had been torn off her nest, most likely during the night. Feathers 

 on the ground below showed what had been her end. As the 

 nest was just above easy inspection. I climbed up, and when 

 examining the torn-up lining was amazed to discover the two 

 eggs still there unharmed 



Yellow-throated Honey-eater {Ptilolis fiavigularis). — This merry 

 bird was most }ilentiful. and more particularly so on the lighter- 

 timbered belts towards Epping, where, among the brackens, it 

 seems to spend a happy time. The nests were easily found, 

 sometimes several within a few yards of one another. The 

 situations varied from the low centre of a sword-grass clump to 

 the top of a native cherry tree, from a fallen tangle of twigs to the 

 thick green growth surrounding a burnt gum trunk, in one instance 

 quite 20 feet high. 



