40 WiLsox AND Chandler, The Helmeted Honey-eater. [^^^ 



Emu 



July 



October and November. In all cases observed by us two eggs 

 have constituted the clutch. They vary much both in size and 

 markings, the smallest clutch noted measuring (rt)o.84 x 0.63 inch, 

 {b) 0.84 X 0.63 inch, and the largest (with which there was a 

 Cuckoo's egg) {a) 0.98 x 0.68, {b) 0.96 x 0.66. Some eggs are 

 almost devoid of markings, others are beautifully zoned with 

 large reddish-brown blotches, and others again sparsely blotched 

 all over. On five occasions this season (1909) we have found 

 an egg of the Pallid Cuckoo {Cuculiis inornattis) placed with the 

 Honey-eater's eggs, and once a young Pallid Cuckoo was 

 observed being fed by a pair of P. cassidix. The Cuckoos' eggs 

 are deposited in the nest before the foster-parent has laid. We 

 were greatl}' surprised one afternoon to find two nests which 

 had been deserted. One nest contained two fresh eggs and the 

 other one. An examination disclosed in one of the pair of eggs 

 two dents and a small hole, and in the single egg two dents, 

 one at each end. A heavy wind, during v/hich the birds would 

 have to cling very tightly to the nest, may have caused the 

 damage. 



When sitting the Helmeted Honey-eater is very tame. 

 Frequently we have stood a couple of feet away, and even 

 touched them, without the birds betraying the slightest trace of 

 fear. 



In the case of the first pair of birds observed with young, the 

 male took no part whatever in feeding the nestlings, but always 

 accompanied the female on lier trips to and from the nest. The 

 female, after having delivered her beakful of food, would fly 

 to a limb near by and preen herself before setting out on 

 her insect-hunting again. After the first visit eleven minutes 

 elapsed before her return, and the following trip occupied 

 eleven and a half minutes. Many visits were made during 

 our stay by the nest, but the intervals were practically 

 the same. On New Year's Da}', 1910, when the weather 

 was exceptionally hot, a nest was found with a bird sitting. 

 On 8th January another nest was discovered containing two 

 chicks about six days old. We were attracted to the nest 

 by the actions of the parent birds, and by a squeaking 

 noise, which at first we thought to be that of a young 

 Pallid Cuckoo, as it was almost an exact representation of 

 the familiar note of this species. On her arrival at the nest 

 the female fed the young with a fly. Both parent birds then 

 flew away, but in five minutes the female returned with a fresh 

 supply of food. After feeding the young she remained at the 

 nest, holding her head close down to the )-oung ones, for six 

 minutes. Then the male arrived, and his mate immediately 

 left. He also departed after having fed the young. The nest 

 was observed for over an hour, and this procedure was not 

 varied. 



