THE PAINTED HONEY-EATER. 241 



There is another of these pretty birds, called the Painted 

 Honey-eater, on account of the variety of its coloring. Its sci- 

 entific name is Erdomopliila pida. The general color of this hand- 

 some bird is rich brown above, with the exception of a yellow 

 patch on the base of the tail, and white, slightly spotted, below. 

 A characteristic mark of the species is a little patch of pure white 

 just by the ears. 



This handsome species inhabits the interior of New South 

 Wales, and does not confine itself merely to a diet of sweet juices, 

 but feeds much on small insects. The generic title, Entomophila, 

 is composed of two Greek words, which signify insect-lover, and 

 is given to this bird, and several other Honey-eaters, on account 

 of their insect-eating habits. The birds are extremely active, and 

 devote much of their time to the pursuit of insects on the wing, 

 in which occupation they have a great resemblance to our well- 

 known fly-catcher. They sit on a branch, keeping a careful 

 watch, and whenever an insect passes near, they dart into the air, 

 catch it, and return to their post. They are generally seen in 

 pairs, and are very playful, chasing each other merrily, and spread- 

 ing their tails so as to show the white color. When on the wing, 

 they are so like the common goldfinch that they might easily be 

 mistaken for that bird, the patchy distribution of the color, and 

 the white spot on the face, adding greatly to the resemblance. 

 The nest of this bird is a beautiful example of the pensiles, and 

 on looking at a specimen it is impossible to restrain a feeling of 

 regret that the art of preservation as it now stands will not per- 

 mit us to retain the branch and its delicate leaves in all their 

 lovely greenery, their long, spear-like blades affording so beauti- 

 ful a contrast to the dry and withered substance of which the 

 nest is made. 



I may perhaps throw out a hint to collectors of birds'-nests, that 

 they would always increase the value of the nest by retaining as 

 much as possible of the branch on which it was placed, as the in- 

 terest greatly depends upon the precise relation which the nest 

 bears to its locality. None, for example, can properly appreciate 

 the extreme beauty of the nest built by the chaffinch until they 

 see the exquisite manner in which the exterior is covered with 

 mosses and lichens, which exactly resemble in color the bark of 

 the branches amid which it rests. The pretty cuplike nest of the 

 goldfinch, the domed structure of the long-tailed titmouse, the 

 basin-shaped home of the thrush, and the clumsy structure of the 



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