552 



BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 



adapted for the purposes of its existence than the present 

 species, whose fine and extremely delicate bill is pecuHarly 

 suited for the extraction of insects and honey from the inmost 

 recesses of the tubular flowers which abound in many parts of 

 Australia, particularly of the various species of Epacris, a tribe 

 of plants closely allied to the Heaths {Erica) of Africa and 

 Europe, which when in bloom are always frequented by 

 numbers of these birds ; so much so, indeed, that it would 

 seem as if the one was expressly designed for the other. 

 Those who have traversed the immense beds of Epacris 

 impressa, so abundantly dispersed over Tasmania, must 

 have often observed the bird darting out from beneath 

 his feet, flitting off to a very short distance, and de- 

 scending again to the thickest parts of the beds. It also 

 frequents the wattles and gums during their flowering-season, 

 and appears to be attracted to their blossoms quite as much 

 for the insects as for the nectar, the stomachs of all those 

 dissected containing the remains of coleoptera and other 

 insects. It is rather shy in disposition except when closely 

 engaged in procuring food, when it may be approached 

 within a few yards or so. 



Its flight is extremely (juick and darting, and performed 

 \\\\\\ a zigzag motion ; and its note, which is a monotonous 

 shriek, is somewhat loud for so small a bird. 



The nest is a smafl cup-shaped and rather neat struc- 

 ture, although not so compact or nicely formed as that 

 of many other birds ; those I found, both in Tasmania 

 and New South Wales, were built on some low shrubs a few 

 feet from the groimd, mostly in a species of Leptospcrmum ; 

 it is outwardly constructed of moss and grasses, and lined 

 with feathers; the eggs are two in number, of a delicate 

 bufty white, increasing in depth of colour towards the larger 

 end ; in some instances I have found thom marked with a 

 zone of reddish chestnut spots shaded with indistinct markings 

 of grey, intermingled with very minute ink-hke dots ; in form 



