NESTS AND EGGS OF HONEY-EATERS. 631 
The first nest I found of the Crescent Honey-eater was in 1879 
in dense Ti-tree scrub that marked the course of Scotchman’s Creek, 
near Oakleigh. Unfortunately it contained young. Guided by 
the cue for time and place, the following season (in September), 
almost in the exact spot, I found another nest, prettily situated a 
foot or two from the ground ina bunch of graceful coral fern 
(Gleichenia) that was supported by the scrub, containing a richly 
coloured clutch of three eggs. 
Writing from Tasmania, Mr. A. E. Brent says: ‘“ We rarely 
come across more than three eggs to a nest of this little bird, but 
I on one occasion took four eggs from a nest in the head of bracken 
ferns at Austin’s Ferry, November, 1885.” 
Breeding months, August to December. 
MELIORNIS NOVE-HOLLANDIA, Latha. 
‘“* Honey-eater.” 
Figure.— Gould, Bds. of Australia, fol., vol. iv, pl. 23. 
Reference.—Cat. Bds. Brit. Mus., vol. ix, p. 253. 
Previous Descriptions of Eggs.—Gould, Bds. of Austr. (1848), 
also Hdbk., vol. 1, p. 487 (1865). North, Cat. Nests and Eggs, 
Austn. Mus:, p. 191 (1889). 
Geographical Distribution.—South Queensland, N. 8. Wales, 
Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania, and intermediate islands in 
Bass Straits. 
Nest.—Cup shaped, sides somewhat thick ; composed outwardly 
of twigs, bark, and grass; lined well inside, especially on the 
bottom, with particles of the brown velvety inner particles of 
Banksia cones, or soft seed-vessels of certain plants (an example 
from the Upper Werribee is lined entirely with beautiful soft 
yellowish-white seed-casings of a particular shrub) ; usually placed 
in a small fork, or among the upright twigs of a low thick bush, 
or in scrub. Dimensions over all, 3-4 inches by 24-33 inches in 
depth ; egg cavity, 2-2} inches across by 14-1} inches deep. 
Lggs.—Clutch, 2-3, rarely 4; oval in shape, slightly compressed 
towards one eud; texture of shell fine; surface without gloss; 
colour, pinkish-buff, with a darker hue around the apex, where is 
a belt of rich reddish-chestnut spots, intermingled with a few dull 
brown ones. Dimensions of a clutch in parts of an inch: (1) ‘82 
mG aes) (2), Cx: -62: 
Observations.—Gould’s initial genus of the numerous family of 
Australian Honey-eaters is peculiar to the southern parts of the 
continent. On account of their great love for Banksia trees they 
might have been fitly called Banksian-birds. 
The species under notice, commonly called the New Holland 
Honey-eater, has its focus of numbers in Victoria and Tasmania, 
