608 PROCEEDINGS OF SECTION D. 
salmon pink, marked moderately but somewhat boldly, and par- 
ticularly round the upper quarter, with rich pinkish-chestnut and 
a few purplish spots. The eggs, being amongst the most richly- 
coloured of Australian Honey-eaters’, are exceedingly beautiful. 
Dimensions of a clutch, in parts of an inch: (1) ‘8 x ‘6; (2) 
oho xX 20. 
Observations.—As already mentioned, there have been more 
synonyms and confusion than enough, so much have doctors 
differed about the identification of the Yellow-spotted Honey- 
eaters of Northern Australia and contiguous localities. 
Finally, Dr. Sharpe has classified them into three races according 
to geographical distribution. Whether there be races, varieties, 
or species, from an oological point of view (which is a somewhat 
sound one, for ‘‘by their fruits ye shall know them”), there are 
certainly two distinct Yellow-spotted Honey-eaters other than P. 
lewint inhabiting Northern Queensland, and which it appears 
Gould has clearly pointed out—first, the larger bird, P. notata, 
and second, the smaller species, P. gracilis. The birds are pre- 
cisely similar in appearance save in size; yet while the eggs of 
the former resemble those of its southern cousin, P. lewinz, being 
white, with a few dark spots, the others, besides being proportion- 
ately smaller, are a fleshy tint and richly coloured. The decided 
difference in the two classes would appear constant, judging by 
the series of eggs, identified by skins of both kinds of birds shot 
from the nests, which I had the opportunity of examining with 
Mr. Dudley Le Souéf, at the Zoological Gardens, Melbourne. 
When collecting at Cape York, 1896-7 season, Mr. Harry 
Barnard took nine or ten nests, each containing two eggs of P. 
notata, and four nests—three each two eggs, the other a single— 
of P. gracilis. There are also birds and eggs of both kinds in the 
collection of Mr. Le Souéf, which he brought down from the 
Bloomfield River district. 
I hardly know that [ am correct in giving as a reference Dr. 
Ramsay’s description of the eggs taken near Cairns by Mr. Boyer- 
Bower as belonging to those of the smaller species. The rich 
colouration —“ nearest to those of P. awricomis”—agrees, but not 
the dimensions. 
Breeding month for the Little Yellow-spotted Honey-eater, 
October to January. 
PritotTis FuscA, Gould. 
** Fuscous Honey-eater.” 
Figure.—Gould, Bds. of Australia, fol., vol. iv, pl. 44. 
Reference.—Cat. Bds. Brit. Mus., vol. ix, p. 229. 
Previous Descriptions of Eqgs.—Ramsay, Trans. Phil. Soc. New 
South Wales, with fig. (1865). Campbell, Southern Science Record 
(1883). 
