NESTS AND EGGS OF HONEY-EATERS. 599 
At Townsville, 1885, this bird first attracted my attention by 
its merry, Reed-warbler-like song, which is exceedingly cheerful. 
Gould describes it as “remarkably shrill, rich, clear and distinct in 
tone.” He also remarked that when the female is sitting upon 
her eggs the male sings all day long, with scarcely any inter- 
mission. 
On the Fitzroy River, near Rockhampton, the bird was so 
numerous that I had no difficulty in one day (2nd October) in 
discovering three of its small nests which were suspended in thick 
Melaleuca bushes, each containing a pair of eggs. One set, how- 
ever, was nearly hatched. Subsequently, more inland of Coomoo- 
boolaroo, I found the merry little Honey-eater quite at home among 
the orange trees standing in the garden, lining its nest with the 
soft substance gathered off the bursting vine buds, &c. I should 
have remarked that those nests found on the Fitzroy were fur- 
nished with the glazed, soft substance of mantis cocoons. 
Still more delighted was I a few seasons afterwards to find this 
Species on the opposite side of the continent, and to hear the 
familiar merry songs along the shores of the Swan waters. There 
I also found a pair busily building a nest suspended to the dead, 
drooping twigs of an Acacia, the nest in this instance being lined 
with the woolly substance gathered from numerous Zamia palms 
or Cycads, 
Before I left the locality (23rd November, 1889) I took a pair 
of eggs which were of the characteristic light colour of those of 
the eastern birds, and resembling those found in the days of yore 
by good Gilbert. 
In one instance in Western Australia Gilbert found a nest 
attached to the slender fibrous roots hanging beneath a bank over 
a pool of water—surely a very unusual situation. 
Breeding months, September to December. 
GLYCPHILA SUBOCULARIS, Gould. 
“‘ Least Honey-eater.” 
Figure. — : 
Reference.—Cat. Bds. Brit. Mus., vol. ix, p. 214. 
Geographical Distribution.—North-west Australia, Northern 
Territory, and North Queensland. 
Nest and Lggs.—Unknown. 
Observations.—With regard to the least Honey-eater of the 
northern coast, Guuld appeared doubtful whether it was really a 
good species. First he united it with G. oculavis, then upon further 
examination separated it again, remarking that the G. subocularis 
isa smaller bird than G. ocularis, and consequently one of the 
most diminutive (only 4} inches long) of the Meliphagous birds. 
