HONEY-EATEKS. 



67 



" It is interesting to watch the birds plucking hair 

 off while perthed on the backs of cattle, and rather a 

 difficult ta.sk it proves for the biixl to effect lodgment, 

 especially if the cow patronised l)e not in an amiable 

 mood, when she tosses her heail aiitjrily and switches 

 her tail from flank to flank, while the bird, fluttering 

 over, waits an opportunity to dodge the appendage, 

 and between eath liish jihicks a few hairs till a mouth- 

 ful is obtained, then flies to its nest." 



Mr. Campbell describes the nest and eggs as follows : 

 — " Xest : Cup-shaped, deep: well constructed of fine 

 bark and grass, matted together with spiders' cocoons ; 

 lined inside with a warm ply of cow or other hair; 

 usually phued near the ground, in a thick bush or in 

 loTV scrub. Dimensions over all, 3i inches to 4 inches 

 by 2i to 3i inches in depth ; egg cavity 2 inches across 

 by IJ inches deep. 



" Eggi> : Clutch two usually, three occasionally: 

 stout oval; texture fine; surface .slightlv glossy; colour 

 almost white, but sometimes of a delicate flesli-tint, 

 sparingly but distinctly marked and spotted with 

 pinkish-red, the spots being more about the upper 

 quarter. Dimensions in inches of a proper pair: (1) 

 .86 X -64, (21 .85 x .63."—" Nests and Eggs of Aus- 

 tralian Birds," pji. 396-7. 



The Zoological flardens of Hamburg received a single 

 example of this Honey-eater in 1881, and Dr. Russ 

 believes that up to the present time this is the only 

 instance of its importation. 



Yellow-tufted Honey-e.^ter {PliUtU auricomis). 



Above dark brown, slightly olivaceous ; primaries 

 and tail-feathers margined with olive-yellow ; crown of 

 head olive-yellow : a black line from "base of bill, en- 

 circling the eye and extending over the ear-coverts; 

 behind the latter a tuft of extremely rich yellow feathers 

 extends backwards ; throat bright yellow ; remainder 

 of under-surface lirownish-yellow ; " bill black ; feet 

 blackish-brown ; irides reddish-brown. Female similar 

 in colouring, but smaller. Hab., Queensland, New 

 South Wale^, and Victoria, 



Gould says:— "The Yellow-tufted Honey-eater is 

 abundant in New South Wales, inhabiting at one season 

 or other every portion of the country ; the brushes near 

 the coast, the flowering trees of the plains, and those of 

 the sides and crowns of the hills towards the interior 

 being alike tenanted by it. It is an active, animated 

 species, flitting with a "darting flijht from tree to tree, 

 and threading the most thicklv-leaved branches with 

 a varietv of sprightly actions." — " Handb. Birds Aus- 

 tral,," Vol I., p. 511." 



Oould quotes an account of the nidifitation published 

 by Dr. Ramsay in The Ihis for 1864, but the following 

 later account quoted by Mr. Campbell is, I fancy, more 

 px.%ct : — "This species remains with us in the" neigh- 

 bourhood of Sydney throughout the whole year, breed- 

 ing earlier than the generality of Honey-eaters. We 

 have eggs in our collection taken early in June and as 

 late as the end of October, during which month they 

 sometimes have a third brood. August and September 

 seem to be their principal months for breeding. Upon 

 referrins to my note book, I find that I captured two 

 young birds, well .able to fly, on July 18th, 1863 ; but 

 dnrin? -some seasons birds breed here nuKU ecrlier than 

 in others. The nest is a neat but somewhat bulky 

 structure, open above, and composed of strips of the 

 .stringy bark Biiralripl'if nblif/iia. The tot.al length of 

 the nest is alxiut 4 inches bv from 2J inches to 3 inches 

 wide, being 2 inches deep liy 1^ inches inside. The eggs, 

 whieh are usually two in number, are of a pale flesh- 

 pink, darker at the larger end, where they are spotted 



and blotched with markings of a much deeper hue, 

 inclining to salmon-colour; in some the markings form 

 a ring u|k>ii the thick end, in others one irregular p.atch 

 with a few dots upon the rest of the surface. When 

 freshly taken they havf a beautiful blush of pink, which 

 they generally lose a few days after being blown. Their 

 length is from ten to eleven lines by seven to eight in 

 breadth. Some varieties have a few ob.solete dots of 

 faint lilac, others are without markings, save one patch 

 at the top of the larger end. Like most of our Aus- 

 tralian birds' eggs, they vary much in shape and tint 

 of colour. The site selected for the nest is usually 

 some low, bushy shrub, among the rich clu.sters of 

 Tenoma australis, or carefully hidden in the thick tufts 

 of nierhnum {B. cartUagiiieum), which often cover a 

 space of many .square yards. In these clump.s, where it 

 clings to the stems of ferns, I h.-ive several times found 

 two or three pairs breeding at the same time within a 

 few yards of each other. The ferns and Tecomw seem 

 to be their favourite places for breeding, although the 

 nests may often be found placed sus])ended between 

 forks in the small bushy oaks (Casitariiia)." 



Dr. Rams.ay .says that, " like most of its tribe, the 

 Yellow-tufted Honey-eater is very partial to fruit, and 

 during the latter end of February and throughout the 

 month of March the pear trees swarm with this and 

 many otlier species. During the orange season also 

 they visit us in great innnbers, and many may be seen 

 fighting over the half decayed fniit with wdiich the 

 ground at that time it literally strewed." This seems 

 an important item to bear in mind in the event of my 

 readers becoming possessed of examples of any of these 

 birds. 



According to Campbell, the breeding-season is from 

 July to Januai'y. 



The Zoological Gardens of Berlin became possessed 

 of an example of this charming species early in 1894. 

 The following \\as the food supplied to it:— "Early in 

 the morning, on alternate days, mealwonns and fresh 

 ant-cocoons; at eight o'clock, biscuit and any fruit 

 that happened to be in season, and in addition' a date 

 stuck Ijetween the bars of the cage. Towards eleven 

 a little shredded raw meat, of which, however, it would 

 only suck up the juice. At one o'clock the staple food, 

 consisting of topped bread or crumbled white bread and 

 cooked or grated carrot, a little rice, boiled egg, varied 

 with minced figs or small and large raisins, with a 

 little sugar sprinkled over the whole. In the after- 

 noon something quite soft, yellow salad (whatever that 

 may be), and, in conclusion, towards evening bread 

 soaked in milk." If that bird did not die fromchronic 

 indigestion I cm only say that the Honey-eaters must 

 be the most vigorous creatures in existence. In 1899 

 a pair reached the London Gardens. 



Y''ellow Honet-e.\ter {Z'lilotU /lava). 



Upper surface olivaceous-grey; head yellow, a spot 

 of blackish-brown under the ear-coverts, with a bright 

 yellow patch behind it ; under-parts citron-yellow ; 

 length, S^in. ; colouring of soft parts not noted, by 

 Crould. Hab., coastal region of North Queensl.and, in- 

 cluding the Gulf of Carpentaria. (Campbell.) 



As it is doubtful whether tins bird has hitherto been 

 imported, I will merely note that, according to Mr. 

 J. A. Boyd and others, the nest is usually suspended 

 by the rim to the thin leafy twigs of a cumquat (orange) 

 tree, but sometimes in a ficus or a mango ; is mostly 

 composed of cocoinut fibre ; the eggs, two in number, 

 are of fine texture, without gloss, pinky-white, marked 

 chiefly at the small end with blotches of light chestnut 

 or pmkish-brown and light purplish-brownr 



