lyS Macgillivrav, Notes oyi Some N. Queensland Birds. [,J^"jI^„ 



Gonopophila rufogularis. Rufous-breasted Honey-eater. — Very 

 common in the Gulf country, fre(]uenting the tea-tree, and building 

 in the prickly acacia bushes at a few feet from the ground. Also very 

 common on the box fiats at the Sedan camp. Many nests were found 

 here, in various stages of construction or containing eggs or young 

 birds, during February and March. One pair was noted feeding a 

 young Pallid Cuckoo. The female alone engages in the task of nest- 

 building, the male accompanying her to and from the nest. 



§, ovary normal ; irides olive, bill brownish-black, legs slate. 

 Stomach contents, honey and small insects. 3rd July, 19 10, on the 

 Leichhardt. 



Ptilotis notata. Yellow-spotted Honey-eater. — At Cape York this 

 Honey-eater was numerous in the scrubs, but only occasional in the 

 open forest or mangroves. It nests in the summer months, the 

 nest being placed low down, and usually containing two eggs. One 

 nest found in the scrub on the ,7th February, 191 1, contained two eggs 

 of this Honey-eater and one Cuckoo egg similar to those found in the 

 nests of Glyciphila modest a. 



$, ovary normal ; irides dark grey, bill brownish-black, naked 

 patch of skin at gape bright yellow, legs dark leaden-grey. Stomach 

 contents, stems and seeds of berries. 



Ptilotis gracilis. Lesser Yellow-spotted Honey-eater. — This small 

 Honey-eater was plentiful at Cape York in the open forest, but only 

 occasional in the scrub. 



2ist March, 191 1. — ^, testes normal; irides greyish-brown; upper 

 mandible black, lower brownish- black, gape yellow : legs light slate. 

 Stomach contents, small berries. 



Ptilotis sonora. Singing Honey-eater. — Numerous in the Gulf 

 country between the Leichhardt and Gregory Rivers. 



29th June, 1910. — c?, testes normal : irides brown, bill black, legs 

 blackish. Stomach contents, insects. 



Ptilotis versicolor. Varied Honey-eater. — This fine large Honey- 

 eater, which bears a superficial resemblance to the Singing Honey- 

 eater, inhabits the mangroves at Cape York, where its tuneful voice 

 is frequently heard in the breeding season. They were plentiful 

 during the season 1910-11, but hardly any were present in 1911-12. 

 In the latter season, however, they were found to be plentiful in the 

 mangroves along the south bank of the Escape River, in the mangroves 

 on Bushy Island, near Cairncross Island, where a fully fledged young 

 one was seen on 30th June, 191 1, and on the Hannibal Islands. A 

 fresh nest was found in the Macarthur Island mangroves, and the 

 birds were plentiful on the Bird Islands. At Cape Grenville a nest 

 was found in a small mangrove on sth July, 191 1, containing two 

 half-fledged young birds, and not far away was a half-built nest of the 

 same bird. Later on, on 17th July, a nest with two young birds almost 

 ready to leave it was found on the second of the Bird Islands. 



Ptilotis keartlandi. Keartland Honey-eater. — First noted on the 

 2ist April, 1910, on a turpentine and spinifex ridge at Courtenay's 

 Creek, 3 miles from Cloncurry, and afterwards found to be very 

 numerous in this class of country. Also frequently met with at 

 Donaldson, on the Leichhardt, on stony ridges clothed in stunted 

 trees and shrubs. 



Ptilotis flavescens. Yellow-tinted Honey-eater. — Common in the 

 Gulf country, but not seen at Cape York One pair was found 



