Vol. Vlll. 

 1Q09 



] Howe, Among the Birds of North-Westeni Victoria. 13I 



Mr. A. J. Campbell, in his " Nests and Eggs," page 398, gives 

 the position of the nest of P. aiiricoinis as being placed in a 

 sapling or small tree, but, although we found over a dozen, one 

 only was placed in a tree (about 7 feet high), the balance being 

 found very low down in the scrub, generally about 12 inches, 

 and as low down as 6 inches from the ground. Many of them 

 contained a pair of beautiful salmon-pink eggs, others young in 

 all stages, and from not a i^w the young had already flown. 

 The young of this bird are born blind and featherless ; the gape 

 is yellow, as is also the inside of the mouth, with the exception 

 of two black spots on the lower mandible ; the legs and feet are 

 of a light flesh colour. At about three days old a dark grey 

 down appears and the eyes are beginning to open. At about 

 seven days old the yellow feathers of the abdomen are well 

 defined, and the primaries in long blue quills. Young that 

 appeared to be very little older had the primaries unfurling, and 

 we calculated that they would leave the nest when about 15 or 

 16 days old. The irides of the adult are dark maroon, but in 

 the nestling they were dark brown. I took one very beautiful 

 pair of eggs, and whilst at the nest two birds appeared, and 

 seemed greatly agitated at my presence. They were secured, 

 and to my surprise both proved to be females ; and it was 

 strange that of all the Honey- eaters we got on the trip not one 

 was a male. The Tawny-crowned Honey-eater {GlycypJiila 

 fulvifrons) also builds low down in the heath, and makes a very 

 substantial and beautiful nest, laying therein two long fleshy- 

 white eggs, with dark brown and purplish spots scattered 

 meagrely about the larger end. A nest was found containing 

 young about a day old ; they were blind, and covered with 

 dark-grey down ; gape yellow, inside of mouth bright orange. 

 When engaged in nest-building, we noticed they were always 

 careful to alight about 10 yards from the nest, and, running 

 along the ground, approach it in that fashion. The song of this 

 bird is very pleasing, and consists of five liquid notes, generally 

 uttered on the wing. 



Wattle-Birds {Acanthoc/uera canincidata) were very plentiful, 

 and nests containing young and eggs were noticed. A nest with 

 young about a week old was built in a fork about 6 feet high. 

 The quills on the primaries, about an inch long and of a blue 

 colour, were not yet broken ; the eyes were just opening. They 

 were clothed with a dark-grey down, while the inside of the 

 mouth and the gape were both yellow. We were amused while 

 watching a Wattle-Bird to see it give chase to a Raven, uttering 

 harsh croaks and plucking the larger bird by the tail. Probably 

 the Raven was after the young. 



Leaving Stawell on the 15th, at 10.20 p.m., we journeyed on 

 to Tailem Bend, in South Australia, arriving there at 6 a.m. 

 The weather here was fine and frosty, and consequently very 



