62 ASHBY—Tasm aniav Field Notes 



Lathamus discolor tregellasi, Mat., (Swift Parrot), was dur- 

 ing the period of my visit very numerous in the City of Hobart, 

 feeding on the honey of the Tasmanian Blue Gum (Eucalyptus 

 globulus), and also on another species of gum, a red flowering 

 gum growing rather freely in the gardens. I was surprised 

 not to meet with this bird in any of the localities visited out- 

 side of Hobart. On comparison with specimens collected by 

 myself at Blackwood, South Australia, in July, 1914, I can 

 find no difference, and conclude that the birds that visited 

 South Australia had come from Tasmania. A female sk±u 

 obtained in Hobart is in every respect similar, except a little 

 brighter to the best male previously collected. There is evi^ 

 dently no difference in the sexes, either in colour or length of 

 tail feather. In two short visits to the lower slopes of Mount 

 Wellington (raining most of the time), a nest of Cinclosoma, 

 punctatum dovei, Mat., (the Tasmanian spotted ground bird), 

 was met with. The bird was sitting on the usual deep cup- 

 shaped nest placed at the foot of a grass tussock, the two eggs 

 were quite fresh, and showed normal markings. 



Sericornis humUis, Gld., (Brown Scrub Wren), was excep- 

 tionally numerous, many being in sight at a time quietly work- 

 ing for insects amongst the grass and leaves under dense tea- 

 tree. Further up the gully amongst the tree ferns, although 

 a few were noted, they appeared far less numerous.. 



Fine specimens of Melitlireptus validirostris, Gld., (Strong 

 billed Honey Eater), and Melithreptus affinis, Lesson, (Black- 

 headed Honey Eater), were obtained. The note of the latter 

 is very distinct from that of others of this genus. I took a lot 

 of trouble to obtain a specimen that was feeding in the top of 

 a lofty gum, thinking it was a bird I was unacquainted with. 



The bush at the entrance of the gully was alive with birds, 

 but as most of the species are noted from other localities, I 

 will not refer to them now. The absence of Myiagra nitida, 

 Gld. (Satin Flycatcher), which I had met with in the same 

 localities in the first week of January some years ago, is inte- 

 resting, showing that they had not arrived, or their striking 

 notes would surely have been heard. While a few days were 

 spent at Brown's River, between Hobart and the mouth of the 

 Derwent, owing to a sprained ankle, I was unable to go into 

 the scrub. Near the boarding house the two Diamond birds, 

 Pardalotus striatus, Gmelin (Yellow-tipped Pardalot), and 

 Pardalotus punctatus leacJd, Mat. (Tasmanian Pardalot), 



