NESTS AND EGGS OF HONEY-EATERS. 589 
I have myself procured the bird. Gould was indebted to the late 
Rey. Thomas J. Ewing, D.D., for the nest and eggs of the Strong- 
billed Honey-eater, which he (Gould) failed to find himself during 
his sojourn in Tasmania. 
I have to thank the Rev. T. H. Hull, of Tasmania, for the first 
examples of eggs in my collection, which were obtained during the 
season 1874. 
Breeding season, August to December. 
MELITHREPTUS L=TIOR, Gould. 
“‘Golden-backed Honey-eater.” 
Figures.—Gould-Sharpe, Bds. of New Guinea, vol. iii, pl. 40. 
Reference. — 
Geographical Distribution.—North-west Australia, Northern 
Territory, Queensland (interior probably), and South Australia. 
Nest and Eggs.—Unknown. 
Observations. —As Gould states, although very closely allied to 
M. gularis, this species is altogether a much more finely-coloured 
bird. In size it is slightly larger, and it is at once to be distin- 
guished by its white under surface, and the beautiful lemon-yellow 
on the back of the neck, as well as by the bright yellow naked skin 
surrounding the eye, which part is of a beautiful bluish-green in 
M. gularis. 
Dr. Sharpe, in referring to Gould’s type of the beautiful and 
well-named Golden-backed Honey-eater, is of opinion that it “is 
apparently a very old male in full breeding plumage” of JZ. gularis. 
Many answering to Gould’s type (JV. letior) have since been found. 
The talented doctor must also .be prepared to accept a female as 
an “old male,” since Mr. G. A. Keartland was good enough to 
present me with one which he shot in the far north-west. Mr. 
Keartland informs me he found the beautiful Golden backed 
Honey-eater plentiful on the Fitzroy River from Mount Campbell 
to Derby. In May these birds had apparently paired. 
News of the nidification of this species is awaited with interest. 
MELITHREPTUS BREVIROSTRIS, Vigors and Horsfield. 
‘“‘ Brown-headed Honey-eater.” 
Figure.— 
Reference.—Cat. Bds. Brit. Mus., vol. ix, p. 207. 
Previous Descriptions of Eggs.—Campbell, Southern Science 
Record (1883). North, Cat. Nests and Eggs, Austn. Mus., 
p. 225 (1889). 
Geographical Distribution.—Queensland, New South Wales, 
Victoria, South and West Australia. 
