NESTS AND EGGS OF HONEY-EATERS. 629 
In the “Catalogue” of the Australian Museum we find it recorded 
that Mr. J. A. Boyd forwarded the nest and eggs of the Yellow 
Honey-eater which he found, 10th January, 1890, in his plantation, 
Herbert River. The nest was mostly composed of the hair-like 
fibre of the cocoanut palm, and was suspended by the rim to the 
thin leafy twigs of a Cumquat (orange) tree. Mr. Boyd also stated 
that all the nests he took were mostly composed of cocoanut fibre. 
Two nests were built in a species of /icus, and were 18 feet from 
the ground ; another was built in a Mango about 8 feet from the 
ground, 
Breeding months, end of August or September to January. 
PTILOTIS UNICOLOR, Gould. 
“ White-gaped Honey-eater.” 
figure.—Gould, Bds. of Australia, fol., vol. iv, pl. 46. 
Reference.—Cat. Bds. Brit. Mus., vol. ix, p. 249. 
Previous Description of Eggs.—Campbell, Victorian Naturalist 
1886). 
en ical Distribution.—North-west Australia, Northern 
Territory and North Queensland, also New Guinea. 
Nest.—Cup-shaped ; composed of strips of light brownish-coloured 
bark, matted with yellowish or golden cocoons of spiders ; inside 
lined with a good ply of exceedingly fine grass, with a few fine 
Casuarina needles on the bottom ; usually suspended to a forked 
twig in the topmost branches of a leafy (small, or moderately-sized) 
tree near a stream. Dimensions over all, 3-4 inches by 2? inches 
in depth ; egg cavity, 2-24 inches across by 2 inches deep. 
Lggs.— Clutch 2; oval, compressed slightly towards one end ; 
texture fine ; surface, faint trace of gloss; colour, warm or dleli- 
cate pinkish-white, with large blotches and spots of beautiful light 
pinkish and purplish-red, the markings being fairly distributed 
but more inclined to congregate around the upper quarter. Most 
resembles those of the Yellow Honey-eater (P. flava) type. 
Dimensions of a clutch in parts of an inch, (1) ‘88 x ‘65; (2) 
86 x ‘64. 
Observations.—This modest-coloured Honey eater is a denizen of 
the northern part of Australia. Gilbert discovered it in the Port 
Darwin district. The situations, where it was usually observed, 
were those adjacent to swampy thickets, where it was seen gener- 
ally in pairs, and, exceedingly lively. 
I have found the White-gaped Honey-eater as far south as 
Townsville, where I took birds, nests and eggs on Stuart Creek. 
The day following the discovery of the Yellow Honey-eater’s nest 
(22 September, 1885), I discovered this other, which was also new. 
The nest was suspended by the rim to a forked twig of a thickly 
foliaged tree, and contained two eggs perfectly fresh. Previously 
