Order Passeriformes, Family Meliphagidae, Genus Aiithochaera. 197 



The birds, found in Queensland and New South Wales, 

 those from Tasmania, and those found on Kangaroo Island, 

 have been separated into three sub-specific forms, while those 

 found in Victoria and South Australia (to which the above 

 description pertains) forms the fourth sub-species. This may 

 or may not be correct, there being little variation between 

 them. The West Australian bird A. c. lunulata being very 

 distinct/ 



Habits.— Noisy, conspicuous birds, which often visit the 

 gardens in the suburbs. They are as a rule found in the bush 

 or scrub, and seldom seen in thinly timbered coun- 

 try. Occasionally they are to be found in situations 

 where heath and low BanJcsia grow. Common birds in many 

 parts of the Mount Lofty Ranges, and once found in num- 

 bers upon the Adelaide Plains, in the days when thick scrub 

 including BanJcsia covered a great deal of that country. 

 Within the last few years a pair or two have visited the Reed- 

 beds and nested there. When nesting time approaches they 

 become very pugnacious, driving away all birds, large or small, 

 from their nesting site, or feeding trees. They are restless 

 birds, always on the move, flying from tree to tree, hanging 

 in all attitudes as they search the blossoms for nectar and 

 insects. They shift considerably according to food supply, 

 for in some districts when Eucalypts and BanJcsias are in blos- 

 som these birds become very plentiful, but as soon as the trees 

 cease flowering the birds will move to another district. They 

 nest early and late; it is not uncommon to see young about in 

 August, and as late as February. 



Flight. — Strong, undulating, but erratic at times. 



Food. — Consists of nectar, alsio insects, for which they 

 diligently search the foliage, limbs, and trunks of trees; some- 

 times catching them on the wing. 



Note. — Harsh and varied; when feeding, a sharp short call 

 like "clock" repeated at intervals of two or three minutes. 

 At nesting time the male bird will perch in an exposed posi- 

 tion and utter a series of remarkable notes, lifting his head 

 until his bill is straight up, the throat swelled out, and tail 

 raised. Most of the notes are harsh and guttural, but at 

 times sharp and resembling the words "Keckwick, keckwick" 

 repeated several times in quick succession. 



The young will follow the parent birds round all day long 

 till fully fledged, uttering a monotonous and incessant call of 

 "quock, quock", only pausing when food is thrust into their 

 mouths by the parent birds. 



