70 



FOREIGN BIRDS FOR CAGE AND AVIARY. 



South Wales are somewhat larger than those from 

 Western Australia, and have markings of a blotched 

 rather than of a (lotted ionn, ajid principally at the 

 larger end." — " Handb. liirds Austral." I., p. 689. 



Campbell says of the nest, " lined with grasses or 

 soft bark, wool, and a few feathers." He says, how- 

 ever, " I was able to verify Gilbert's acute observation, 

 that the nests of the Wattle Bird in Western Australia 

 are iisiiidiv built without lining." — "Nest and Eggs of 

 Australian Birds," pp. 4234. 



In 1894, Reisz of Berlin received this species, which 

 was sent to the Berlin Zoological Gardens, and Kuss 

 lays that this is the only instance of its importation. 

 Blue-f.vced HoNET-E.iTER (Eiitomijza cyanotis). 



Upper surface golden olivaceous ; the inner webs of 

 the primaries and the tail-feathers (excepting the two 

 central ones) brown, tipped with white ; crown and 

 back of neck black ; a white crescentic marking at the 

 occiput ; bare space round ej-e deep blue, paler and 

 greenish above eye ; lower part of face, chin, and centre 

 of breast slaty-black ; a line from lower mandible pass- 

 ing down each side of neck, and remainder of under sur- 

 face pure w-hite ; bill blackish-horn-colour at tip, pale 

 bluish grey at base ; feet bluish-grey ; irides yellowish- 

 white. Female similar in plumage. Young with naked 

 patch on face and base of bill j-ellowish-olive. Hab. , 

 Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, and South 

 Australia. 



Gould says: — "I have frequently seen eight or ten 

 of these bold and spirited birds on a single tree, display- 

 ing the most elegant and easy movements, clinging and 

 hanging in every variety of position, frequently at the 

 extreme ends of the small, thickly-flowered branches, 

 bending them down with their weight; they may be 

 easily distinguished from other birds w-ith which they 

 are ffequently in company by their superior size, the 

 brilliancy of their blue face, and the contrasted colours 

 of their plumage; they are rendered equally con- 

 spicuous by the pugnacity with which they chase and 

 drive about the other species resorting to the same tree. 



" It frequently utterrs a. nither loud and monotonous 

 cry, not worthy tho name of song. 



" I observed a most curious fact respecting the 

 ridification of this bird. In every instance that I found 

 its eggs, they were deposited on the deserted, dome- 

 shaped, large nest of the I'iimali>''lomtis trmpornlis, .so 

 numerous in the Apple-tree Flats in the district of the 

 Upper Hunter; never within the dome, but in a neat 

 round depression on the top. I had many opportunities 

 of driving the female off the nest, and I can therefore 

 speak with confidence as to this fact. 



" It is probable that, in places where no suitable 

 substitute is to be found, it makes a ne.= t like other 

 species of its tribe. It commences breeding early, and 

 rears at least two broods in the year. On reference to 

 my note book, I find I saw fully-fledged young on the 

 19th of November, ajul that I took many of their eggs 

 in December; they were generally two in number, of 

 a rich salmon-colour irregularly spotted with rust- 

 brown, one inch and a quarter long by ten and a half 

 lines broad." — "Handb. Birds Austral.," I., pp. 561-2. 



Campbell describes the true nest as " cup sliajied, 

 round, neat ; composed of strips of bark, in some 

 instances with gra.ss ; usually jilaced in a depression 

 on the top or side of the deserted large-domed stick 

 nest of the Babbler or Pomalnrhinna Icmporalix. In 

 some instances the nest is susjjcnded in the ordinary 

 Honeyeater-like fashion in the branchlets of a tree, and 

 is substantially constructed of coar.se strips of bark ; 

 lined inside with fine, reddieh brown (inner) bark, and 

 a amall quantity of grass." The dimensions of the 

 latter aie given as 6 inches by 4 ; egg-cavity 3J by 



2 inches. The London Zoological Society received this 

 species in 1882 and again in 1895; the Berlin Gardens 

 acquired it in 1893, and the dealer Reisz exhibited it 

 in 1894 at the e.vhibition of the .F^gintha Society in 

 Berlin. 



Bl.\c'k-t.\iled Flower-bird (Anthurnis melanura). 



Upi>er surface dark olivaceous- brown ; flights with 

 gi-eener margins to the outer webs ; secondaries with 

 dull greyish tips ; tail-feathers with pale outer margins ; 

 forehead faintly glossed with steel green ; loral stripe 

 black-brown ; a narrow whitish stripe from the angle 

 of the bill to the sides of the head ; under surface 

 paler than the upper, yellower ; under wing and tail 

 coverts dull yellowish white with brownish central 

 spot; bill black; feet dark leaden grey; irides brown 

 to blood-red. Female rather smaller, duller and paler. 

 Hab., New Zealand. 



This bird has been called Bell-bird on account of the 

 sound of a flock resembling a peal of bells. Writing 

 of it as observed by himself in its native land Andreas 

 Keischek says: — "As soon as the sun has risen, the 

 singers grow silent, and scatter to seek their food — the 

 nectar of blossoms. Wherever many wild bees are 

 found, these birds disappear, because those insects 

 re<Ui(e the quantity of their food. As the petty chieftain 

 Tinatochi, the ruler of the Hauturu Islands, has refused 

 to allow bees 1o be introduced into his domain, our 

 Bell bird its still fairly abundant there. In September, 

 1883, three paire built their nests here near my Nikau- 

 ware (hut of palm-leaves) in the thick branches of trees,, 

 at a height of 6.6 to 16.6 feet, using for their construc- 

 tion small dry twigs, roots, and moss, and as a lining 

 to the egg-cavity soft feathers. In October the hens 

 laid four to Hve eggs, the white ground- coiour of which 

 was den.sely covered with p;ile red spots. Both sexes 

 incubated alternately and together reared the young, 

 on nectar, insetrts, and berries." (Cf. Russ, " Fremdl. 

 Stubenvogel," Vol. II., p. 371.) 



Many years ago this species was imported by Charles 

 Ja.mrach, and since that time the London Zoological 

 Society has received specimens in 1871, 1872 and 1895 ; 

 but as, in spite of efforts to protect it, this little Honey- 

 eater, which at one time was distributed over the whole 

 of New Zealand, api>ears now to have almost, if not 

 quite, disappeared from the North Island and seems 

 to be restricted to the South Island and a few neigh- 

 bouring islets, it is hardly likely that it will ever be 

 a familiar bird in the market here ; but this, alas ! is 

 practically true of most New Zealand birds ; the speci- 

 mens left alive by cats. Sparrows and other vermin are 

 jealously protected by the European colonists. 



CHAPTER VIII. 



SUGAR=BIRDS (Carebidce). 



These birds are related to the Tanagers, and Dr. 

 Sclater observes that it " is in some instances difficult 

 to distinguish the Cipiihuhi- from the TaniKjrifhr on the 

 one side ami from the Mniolilfidw on the other, but the 

 more slender, unnotched bill and filamentous termina- 

 tion of the extensile tongue, when the latter character 

 is discernible, will usually serve to indicate a Coerebine 

 bird." It may be well to note that the Mniotillidm are 

 the " Bushcreei)ers," and replace the Old World 

 Warblers in America. 



The management of Sugar-birds in captivity should 

 lie similar to that of Tanagers. Four species have, 

 during the last few years, been sparingly inqiorted into 

 England, and may, ])crhaps, one of these d.ays, be a» 

 freely imported as the best known Tanagers. If so. 



