322 ON THE OOLOGY OF AUSTRALIA, 



6 to 7 lines in breadth ; the ground color is of a deep yellowish 

 buff, with spots of a deeper and more reddish hue, and a few of 

 faint lilac, in some sprinkled equally over the whole surface, in 

 others crowded, or forming a cone at the larger end. 



In painting these eggs, as well as those of Xanthomyza 

 ptirygia, the true tint of color is only to be obtained by using 

 light Saturnine red. The ground color of the eggs of Ptilotis 

 fusca, upon fading, becomes flesh-yellow, and the markings 

 yellowish or reddish brown, the lilac almost disappearing. 



These Honey-eaters are usually found during the winter 

 months, in small groups of from 5 to 10 in number ; it is not a 

 migratory species, but remains with us all the year round, and is 

 one of the numerous birds which frequent gardens ; it may be 

 found in the orchards, either when the trees are in full bloom, 

 flying round the blossoms in search of insects, or when the fruit 

 is ripe. They seem to have a decided preference for the sweet 

 juice of pears. This species of Honey-eater is, I believe, strictly 

 confined to New South Wales. 



PTILOTIS AURICOMIS. 



TlieYellow-iufted Honey-eater. (Gould, B. Austr.,Vol.IV., pi. 37.) 



PI. I, Fig. 5. 



This beautiful Honey-eater is one of our most common species, 

 and found very abundantly in the neighbourhood of Ashficld and 

 Parramatta. It shows a decided preference for the more open 

 parts of the bush clothed with underwood of Acacia and young 

 Eucalypti, rather than the thick scrubby parts nearer Sydney. 



Like most of the genus, the yellow-tufted Honey-eaters are 

 very partial to fruit, and during the season, they resort to the 

 gardens in great numbers, accompanied by many other species, 

 and may often be seen squabbling over the over-ripe pears and 

 oranges. They are very fond of exercising their pugnacious pro- 

 pensity upon the larger birds, Hawks, Owls, and even the 

 sleepy-looking Goat-suckers are quickly attacked as soon as 

 perceived ; even their own species, when wounded, and crying 



