Vol 



','■ ^' 1 Campbell, Victorian Sericornes. ^y 



No black crescent ; head and back rich brown, 

 like rump. 



Wing, 2.35 inches. S. front alts. 



Wing more than 2.4 inches. 5. minimus. 

 B. — No white on wing feathers. 



(«.) Throat yellow ; lores black (male), or slaty (female) ; 

 wing 2.7 inches. 5. citreogiilaris. 



(b.) Throat brownish; lores tawny; wing 2.2 inches. 



S. magnirostris. 



The Helmeted Honey^eater (Ptilotis cassidix). 

 By F. E. Wilson and L. G. Chandler. 



{Read before the Bird Observers^ Club, 27//^ Jmmary., 1910.) 



As so little is known concerning the habits of the rare and 

 beautiful Helmeted Honey-eater {^Ptilotis cassidix), the follow- 

 ing notes, collected during the past two seasons, may be 

 of interest. The habitat of this species is the eastern portion of 

 Victoria, possibly extending into the southernmost corner of 

 New South Wales. Our notes have been gathered in the 

 Beaconsfield district, 30 miles east of Melbourne, where 

 several pairs of birds have taken up their quarters. The 

 locality has many creeks, and dense scrubs of tea-tree, sword-' 

 grass, prickly acacia, &c., with tall white gums {Eucalyptus) 

 spreading their branches above. 



The Helmeted Honey-eater somewhat resembles the Yellow- 

 tufted Honey-eater {Ptilotis melanops), but is about half an inch 

 longer, and may be easily distinguished by the line of upright, 

 bristling, golden feathers which adorn the head. It has a 

 variety of notes, two of which are monosyllabic. After using 

 the monosyllabic notes, the head is jerked upwards and the 

 tail slightly raised. One of the notes, generally uttered when 

 the bird is flying from tree to tree, closely resembles the 

 familiar note of the White-naped Honey-eater {Melithreptus 

 atricapillus).^ Another may be translated as "Churl, churl, 

 churl, churl ; " while the nesting note, which is the most beautiful 

 of all, and which is usually uttered when the bird is sitting at 

 the side of the nest, may be rendered thus — " Jor, jor, jor, jor, 

 jor, jiree, jiree, jiree, jiree," the " jiree " portion being a semitone 

 higher. During the nesting season these Honey-eaters are 

 extremely savage, and vigorously attack other birds that come 

 near them. Harmonious Shrike-Thrushes {Collyriocichla Jiar- 

 uionicd), White-shouldered Caterpillar-catchers {Lalage tricolor), 

 and Coachwhip-Birds {Psop/iodes crepitans) all find it safer 

 to keep at a respectful distance from P. cassidix. Helmeted 



* Scientific names according to Mathews' " Handlist." 



