68 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



excepting the Glycyphila modesta, build open cup-shaped nests. 

 Mr. Olive found several of their nests ; one on i6th December 

 contained the usual clutch of two eggs. It was dome-shaped 

 and hung on the end of a branch of a melaleuca tree 

 over water, about 5 feet from the water ; it is composed 

 entirely of the bark of the tree on which it is built, and has a 

 porch over the entrance. It measures — external depth, 5 inches ; 

 internal, 3^ inches; external diameter, 3 inches; internal, 2 

 inches. The eggs are elongated and white with small reddish- 

 brown markings, which are most numerous at the larger end. 

 They measure — (a) .80 x .50 (6) .73 x .50 inch. 



(These birds were scarce. Male and female both build the 

 nest, which takes four days, and is generally situated over a 

 watercourse. They are very shy, and when there are eggs in the 

 nest they will not put in an appearance all day if anyone is near. 

 They are generally to be seen in pairs.) 



Entomophila rufigularis, Red-throated Honey-eater. 



This bird is found in the northern and central parts of 

 Australia, and several were seen by Mr. Olive. He found their 

 nest on 28th December, suspended from the twigs near the end 

 of a branch of a eucalyptus tree, 20 feet from the ground ; it 

 was cup-shaped, and composed outwardly of shreds of bark and 

 cobweb, and lined with fine fibres, and measured — external depth, 

 3 inches; internal, 2^ inches; external diameter, 2 inches; 

 internal, i^ inches. The eggs were elongate in form and white, 

 with small reddish markings thickly scattered over the surface of 

 the shell, and being shghtly more numerous at the larger end, 

 where in one of the eggs they form an irregular zone, the dots 

 being confluent. They measure — (a) .67 x .49, (6) .67 x .47, 

 {c) .66 X .47 inch. 



(These birds were scarce, and only three of their nests were 

 found. They are of the usual open cup shape, but are deep, 

 being 2^ inches. The birds are shy, and do not interfere when 

 their nest is being taken.) 



Philemon sordidus. Little Friar-bird. 



This bird is found all over Northern and Western Australia, as 

 Philemon occidentalis cannot be separated from it. Several of 

 their nests were found, and one on 17th November was built on 

 an ironwood tree, about 10 feet from the ground, and situated 

 near the end of the branch. It is lightly built of tendrils and 

 seed-stalks, and lined with the latter material. It is an open, 

 hanging nest, suspended between a fork, and measures — 

 external depth, 3 inches ; internal, 2 inches ; external diameter, 

 5 inches ; internal, 3 inches. The two eggs are light pink, with 

 reddish-brown markings ; on one egg they form a zone at the 

 larger end, but on the other are evenly scattered over the sur- 



