148 



[On my arrival at Derby on May 1, I found several kinds of 

 trees in full blossom, and consequently Honey-eaters were plenti- 

 ful. One of the noisiest for its size was the bird under notice. 

 It showed a decided preference for the blossom o£ the Ti-tree, but 

 occasionally visited the Eucalyptus. They were seen singly or in 

 pairs.] 



No. 39. Ptilotis flavescens (Yellow-tinted Honey-eater). 



Ptilotis flavescens^ Gould, Proc. Zool. Soc. (1839), p. 142 ; id.^ 

 Eds. Austr., fol., vol. IV., pi. 41 (1848); Gadow, Cat. Bds. Brit. 

 Mus., vol. IX., p. 245 (1884) ; Ramsay, Proc. Linn. Soc, 

 N.S.W., vol. I., 2nd series, p. 1,092 (1886). 



Five males, two female. Camp about five miles from the 

 junctijn of the Fitzroy and Margaret Rivers. The range of this 

 species extends east to Normanton in the Gulf district. Young 

 birds have the upper surface paler than the adults. 



[During the hot days of December and January these birds 

 came to the water-trough at the well near the Telegraph Station 

 in such numbers as to completely line the trough whilst they were 

 drinking and bathing. They seem to be similar in their habits 

 to P. penicillata, spending their time in bathing, chasing each 

 other, and seeking insects or blossom amongst the branches of 

 the different trees. The sexes are alike in plumage, and can 

 only be distinguished by dissection. They were just building 

 their nests when we left in March.] 



No. 40. Ptilotis sonora (Singing Honey-eater). 



Ptilotis sonorus, Gould, Proc. Zool. Soc. (1840), p. 160 ;id. Bds. 

 Austr., fol., vol. IV.,- pi. 33 (1848). 



Ptilotis sonora, Gadow, Cat. Bds. Brit. Mus., vol. IX., p. 234 

 (1884); Ramsay, Proc. Linn. Soc. N.S.W., vol. I., 2nd series, p. 

 1,092 (1886). 



A young female. Camp about five miles from the junction of 

 the Fitzroy and Margaret Rivers. The young of this species 

 may be distinguished from the adult by its paler under surface, 

 and having only narrow shaft-streaks of pale brown on the 

 breast. It is distributed over the greater part of Australia. 



[In the scrub near Geraldton these birds were first seen busy 

 amongst such bushes as were in blossom in June, and from that 

 time until my arrival at Derby, they were seen almost daily. 

 Occasionally they were the only birds to be found on the sandhills 

 Several clutches of their eggs were taken from the Casuarina 

 and Acacia-trees during August.] 



No. 41. Ptilotis keartlandi (Keartland's Honey -eater). 

 Ptilotis keartlandi, North, Ibis (1895), p. 340; North and 

 Keartl., Rep. Horn Sci. Exp. Centr. Austr. part II., Zool. p. 

 '93, pi. 6., upp. fig. (1896). 



