590 PROCEEDINGS OF SECTION D. 
Nest.—Cup-shaped, smal], neat, composed of grasses or fine 
shreds of bark matted together with portions of spiders’ cocoons 
greenish and white ; inside lined warmly with a ply of fur or hair ; 
usually suspended at the extremity of a Eucalypt branch in open 
forest. Dimensions over all 25 in. by 2} in. indepth; egg cavity, 
1? in. across by 1{ in. deep. 
Lggs.—Clutch, 2-3; inclined to roundish-oval in shape, tex- 
ture fine ; faint trace of gloss on surface ; colour, reddish-buff or 
flesh-colour, darker on the apex, which is sparingly spotted and 
splashed with reddish-chestnut, a few specks also appearing here 
and there over the shell ; other specimens are sparingly speckled 
all over. Dimensions of a clutch in parts of an inch (1) ‘77 x °57 ; 
(2) ‘76 x ‘56; (3) ‘74 x ‘57. An odd example, ‘72 x ‘58. 
Observations. —Gould was in doubt about the existence of this 
species ; possibly he mistook it for the youthful IZ. dunulatus. I 
fear he was erroneously informed when he states the characteristic 
bare space above the eyes of IZ. brevirostris is greenish-blue. From 
specimens I have examined immediately after being shot it 
should be a delicate flesh tint. The bird is otherwise plainly 
coloured, is terribly active, and possesses a disagreeable, rough, 
rattle-like note. 
While on a collecting trip at Bagshot, Bendigo district, October, 
1880, I procured examples of bird, nest and egg. Dr. Ramsay 
kindly identified the bird for me, which enabled me to describe 
the nest andegg. I have since observed the bird in various parts of 
Victoria, my last recollection of them being on the 25th Septem- 
ber, 1897, when I saw a flock of six or seven merry birds feeding 
on the pollen, &c., of the flowering cones of a stunted Banksia that 
grew on the plains near Mount Cotteril. I was agreeably sur- 
prised to notice the Brown-headed Honey-eater in Western Aus- 
tralia ; therefore its habitat extends across the southern half of 
the continent. 
On the Bagshot trip already referred to I was accompanied by 
Mr. James Peatling, a local farmer. We found Brown-headed 
Honey-eaters somewhat numerous, and I succeeded in obtaining 
a nest, which was suspended to the extremity of a swaying branch 
of a Box-tree (Yucalyptus viminalis). This nest was composed 
of grass, thickly woven in and out with wool and fur. The latter 
material the birds pull off live animals. We were attracted by 
the lively actions of this curious little Honey-eater upon the back 
of a native bear (A’oala), which had taken up its usual position in 
the fork of a tolerably tall gum. The bird was clinging on in 
a very comical manner, while busily engaged plucking off a mouth- 
ful of fur. One of our party, also desiring to rob the animal 
of its furry coat—and of its life—fired, hit the bear, but did not 
dislodge it. The discharge, however, merely frightened our little 
