226 Tasmanian Notes. [isfTprii 



{Cacomantis flahellifonnis) was trilling from a gum-tree, and some 

 newly- arrived Pipits {Anthiis austnilis) were sporting with one 

 another on the track close to the beach. These birds seem to mc 

 lighter in tint wlien they first arrive, as if they had wintered on 

 the sandy plains of Central or Western Australia, and their 

 plumage had taken a corresponding tint. One or two stayed the 

 winter with us, as did several Fantail Cuckoos and a pair of 

 Summer-Birds [Grancalns parvirostris). The main body of 

 Grancali are not here yet ; they usually arrive in September and 

 October, as do the large Pallid Cuckoos (C. pallidns).—ii. Stuart 

 Dove, F.Z.S., R.A.O.U. West Devonport, Tasmania, 30/8/17. 



Nesting of White-bearded Honey-eater {Meliornis novce- 

 hoUandics) in Tasmania. — The pair of White-beards which I 

 recorded as having fully-feathered young here on ist September 

 built again very soon afterwards in the fork of a cypress 

 {Cupressiis inacrocarpa), about 18 feet from the ground, and on 

 the morning of i8th September there were three eggs, which had 

 evidently been laid a few days, as there were two newly-hatched 

 young on the morning of 26th September. One of these was 

 out with the parents on 8th October ; the other left the nest the 

 following day ; the third egg was found cast out beneath the 

 nest. The first nest of this pair, which was built at the forking 

 of a branch from the main stem of a prickly wattle {A. vcrticillata), 

 about 9 feet from the ground, was composed of tough brown 

 rootlets, some nearly 12 inches in length, long pieces of string, 

 and bark fragments. The thick felted lining, when re-examined, 

 was found to consist mainly in the seeds of the aster, with the 

 pappus still adhering, my friend, in whose grounds the nest was 

 placed, being a large grower of these plants. When portions of 

 the lining were pulled out, a number of lines like strong spider- 

 web were seen connecting it with the side of the nest. Width of 

 nest over all, 5 inches ; depth of nest, outside, 3 inches ; width 

 of egg cavity, 2^ inches ; depth of egg cavit}', 2 inches. The second 

 nest was similar, except that for the foundation lining the birds 

 tore off portions of the circumference of tree-mallow {Lavatera 

 arborea) leaves and placed them in the bottom of the egg cavity. 

 The mallow was growing in the same garden, and certain of the 

 leaves became whitish and semi-decayed at the edges. The 

 Honey-eaters hung on to these, and tore off portions with their 

 bills; after placing these in position, they formed a dense soft 

 lining over them, consisting of hundreds of small, oval, woolly 

 calices or seed-vessels, with a quantity of pappus-hair intermixed. 

 A noticeable point about these Honey-eaters is their extreme 

 pugnacity when nesting ; they would not allow any others of the 

 Meliphagidce in the same grounds while breeding was progressing. 

 The Crescent Honey-eater was formerly numerous in this large 

 garden, but was completely driven out by the pair of White-beards, 

 although still numerous in my own garden, about a mile distant, 



