181 



No. 73. Ptilotis penicillata (White-Plumed Honeyeater). 



Between Lake Way and Lake Augusta these birds were 

 plentiful wherever water existed, and several nests containing 

 young ones were noted on 3rd July. Near our camel depot on 

 Creek three clutches of eggs were taken in the 

 latter part of August. All the eggs were remarkable for the 

 ■whiteness of the ground colour and the very dark spots with which 

 they were marked. The fondness of the W^hite-Plumed Honey- 

 eaters for bathing may account for the fact that they were never 

 seen far from water. They were not observed further north 

 than Lake Augusta, but on the Fitzroy River give place to 

 F. Jiuvescens. 



No. 74. Certhionyx leucomelas (Pied Honeyeater). 



This rare honeyeater was first obtained in some scattered 

 mallee some distance south of Separation Well, on 25th 

 September. At that time they were in poor plumage. Several 

 of the male birds shot had brown feathers scattered through the 

 black, indicating, probably, that they were immature birds, and 

 that the young of both sexes are of the same colour as the 

 female, which closely resembles A^ithus austrcdis in colour and 

 markings. Towards the end of October flocks ef these birds 

 frequently passed us going north. On 22nd October I found a 

 nest of this bird. It was built of short grass-stems, woven 

 together with spider's web, and suspended by the rim in a cork- 

 bark tree. Both birds were at the nest, and I shot the male, 

 which proved to be a beautiful specimen. The solitary egg 

 which the nest contained bore a strong resemblance to that of 

 the Sordid Wood Swallow, the ground colour being a dirty-white, 

 finely spotted, especially at the large end, with brownish-black 

 and slate colour. Although these birds had all been very easily 

 approached to within twenty yards, others seen near the Fitzroy 

 River in January were very wary, and I was una-ble to secure 

 them. 



No. 75. Acanthogenys rufigularis (Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater). 



From Mullawa to near Separation Well these birds were 

 frequently met with, and in the mulga scrubs they were to be 

 seen in numbers. They were never noted further north than 

 Separation Well. 



No. 76. ANTH0CH.ERA CARUNCULATA (W^attled Honeyeater). 



Whilst in camp at Mullawa a number of these honeyeaters 

 were frequently seen and heard. A specimen shot presented no 

 ieatures of difference from those obtained in the southern 

 portions of the continent. They were not seen afterwards. 



