648 PROCEEDINGS OF SECTION D. 
Gould, who says this attractive and beautiful Honey-eater is one 
of the finest of our indigenous MJeliphagide, gives us a refreshing 
mental picture when he writes :—‘ I have frequently seen eight 
or ten of these bold and spirited birds on a single tree, displaying 
the most easy and elegant movements, clinging and hanging in 
every variety of positions, frequently at the extreme ends of the 
small, thickly-flowered branches, bending them down with their 
own weight. They may be easily distinguished from other birds 
with which they are frequently in company by their superior size, 
the brilliancy of their blue face, and the contrasted colours of 
their plumage.” 
I had an opportunity of proving the curious fact mentioned by 
Gould of the Blue-faced Honey eater depositing its eggs in the 
deserted nest of the Chatterer (Pomatostomus). In the beginning 
of September, 1881, in the Bendigo district, I was wending my 
way along a track through timber—in fact, I had lost my road— 
when I observed a splendid Blue-face in a small tree. There was 
also an old Pomatostomus nest in the tree. I recollected Gould’s 
remarks, and ascended to prospect. In the crown of the large stick 
nest I found embedded a round, open, bark-made nest, containing 
a large and lovely pair of the Honey-eater’s eggs. 
Gould further remarks, “that ia places where no substitute is 
to be found, the Blue-face makes a nest like other species of its 
tribe.” 
On the 16th October, 1885, when at Coomoobcoolaroo, Queens- 
land, with Mr. Harry Barnard, I had an opportunity of observing 
a nest suspended in a Eucalypt, which was owned, and apparently 
built by the Blue-faced Honey-eater, and from which we took a 
specimen of that bird’s eggs. The nest resembled that of an Oriole, 
or Friar-bird, only was not so heavily constructed. 
Mr. Harry Barnard’s experience is that “ In nine cases out of 
ten the Entomyza breeds in another bird’s nest, mostly in old nests 
of Pomatostomi ; but the entrance is always enlarged, and the 
Entomyza builds its own nest inside, lining it with stems of dry 
grass, like the inside of a Friar-bird’s nest. 
“When the Entomyza builds its own nest independently, it very 
closely resembles that of a Friar-bird ; but is more loosely con- 
structed. A pair once built close to our cow-shed, and obtained 
the material for it about the house. We had a quantity of rails 
(Lance-wood or Bastard Brigalow) about, which had the outside 
bark taken off. The birds pulled off the inner bark in strips for 
their nest.” 
Mr. Thos. R. McDougall, Claremont, (Q.) writes:—I have seen 
them (Entomyzas) breeding in the deserted nest of the Leather- 
head ; have also seen them build a nest similar to that of the 
Leather-head (Friar-bird). 
