GARRULOUS HONEY-EATER. .w^c 



side of a river, while on the other side not a single bird can be seen. Those which inhabit 

 Van Diemen's Land are rather larger than those of New South Wales, the greater size 

 being probably caused by a greater profusion and more nourishing properties of the food. 

 The Garrulous Honey-eater generally takes up its habitation among the thick forests of 

 eucalypti that are found upon the plains and the hills of low elevation, and there passes a 

 very lively existence. Its food consists of the sweet nectar of flowers, which it procures 

 after the manner of Honey-eaters in general, by plunging its long tongue into the depths 

 of the flowers, and licking up their luscious store. It also feeds upon various insects, 

 being always ready to eat those minute creatures which inhabit the flowers, and delighting 

 also in chasing the beetles and larger insects as they run upon the ground at the foot of 

 the eucalypti. 



In its habits the Garrulous Honey-eater is very amusing, although it often is the cause 

 of no small annoyance to the traveller or the sportsman, as will be seen by the following 

 remarks made by Gould in his " Birds of Australia." The Garrulous Honey-eater, he 

 says, " is not gregarious, but moves about in small flocks of from five to ten in number. 

 In disposition it is unlike any other bird I ever met with, for if its haunts be in the least 

 intruded upon, it becomes the most restless and inquisitive creature possible, and withal 

 so bold and noisy that it is regarded as a nuisance rather than an object of interest. 



No sooner does the hunter come within the precincts of its abode, than the whole 

 troop assemble round him, and perform the most grotesque actions, spreading out their 

 wings and tails, hanging from the branches in every possible variety of position, and 

 sometimes suspended by one leg ; keeping up all the time one incessant babbling note- 

 Were this only momentary, or for a short time, their droll attitudes and singular notes, 

 would be rather amusing than otherwise ; but when they follow you through the entire 

 forest, leaping and flying from branch to branch, and almost buffeting the dogs, they 

 become very troublesome and annoying, awakening, as they do, the suspicions of the other 

 animals of which you are in pursuit." 



The nest of the Garrulous Honey-eater is a rather large edifice when the dimensions 

 of the bird are taken into consideration, but is very neatly put together. The materials 

 of which it is composed are very slender twigs and grass as a framework and the lining 



