NESTS AND EGGS OF HONEY-EATERS. 613 
formed by a coalescence of numerous indistinct specks. At first 
sight the eggs closely resemble those of the Pallid Cuckoo (C. 
pallidus). Dimensions of a clutch in parts of an inch (1) 81 x 6; 
G2yeSi x -6 5.(3) 8 59: 
Observations.—I do not think any Honey-eater enjoys such a 
widespread range as the Singing Honey-eater, which has been 
observed in almost every part of the continent, the heavier-forested 
parts excepted. I have had the pleasure of finding their nests 
and delicately coloured flesh-tinted eggs, both in the east and in 
the west of Australia, therefore I am able to attest to the difference 
of structure (the nests of the western birds being the heavier built) 
as pointed out by Gould. 
The first nest I took (October, 1885) was in the Mallee country 
near Nhill, Victoria, when I observed the birds building in a 
**Bull-oak” (Casuarina), and subsequently obtained a pair of 
beautiful eggs from it. My last find was a well-built nest placed 
a few feet from the ground in ashort growth of ti-tree (Melaleuca) 
scrub, Quindalup (W.A.). This nest, from which I flushed the 
bird, contained a lovely set of 3 eggs. The Singing Honey-eater is 
one of the most common birds I met with in Western Australia. 
It is found breeding in orchards, where I noticed old nests in 
orange and lemon trees. In one garden I watched a fine bird 
clinging to a large head of bluish flowers (Hchiwm) busily probing 
each flower for honey with the same rapidity as a domestic fowl 
would pick up grain. 
Why is the bird called the “Singing” Honey-eater? Gould says 
its song is “full, clear, and loud.” All 1. could ever hear, save a 
few shattering notes, was ‘ Cr-rook, cr-rook,” uttered while the 
bird, with graceful flight, passed from tree to tree. 
Mr. Hermann Lau, in his MS. notes from Darling Downs (Q.), 
says :—“ Ptilotis vittata (sonora), locally called the Large-striped 
Honey-eater, gets its name from the yellow line over the eyes. 
This bird loves hanging its cradle on the lower branches of a 
Casuarina, near water, on the outskirts of a thicket. The cradle, 
or rather hammock, is made of grass with rootlets for a floor; has 
sometimes three eggs. Cunningham’s Gap, October, 1876.” 
Writing to me from Yorke Peninsula (S.A.), Mr. James G 
McDougall includes a curious note :—‘‘ The Singing Honey-eater 
builds a small and airy nest of wool, hair, and fine grass inter- 
laced with twigs of Ti-tree and She oak without lining; eggs, two, 
but sometimes three. In October, 1886, I found a nest of this 
bird tenanted by two hens and containing five eggs, three of which 
were the usual colour and two pure white.” 
In the Australian Museum “ Catalogue,” Mr. A. J. North gives 
field notes of the late Mr. K. H. Bennett, respecting the nest of 
the Singing Honey-eater, and describes eggs collected by Mr. 
James Ramsay (1880) and by the late Mr. W. Liscombe (1883). 
