382 THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA 



Genus Ptilotis. 

 Bill as long as, or slightly longer than, the rest of the head, 

 culmen ridged, slightly curved. Secondaries from four-fifth to 

 five-sixths the length of the wing. Tail square or slightly 

 rounded, generally a little shorter than the wing. Pattern of 

 colour very plain, mostly olive above, dingy yellowish below; 

 inner web of remiges invariably broadly margined with fulvous 

 or yellowish. Skin on sides of head frequently bare of feathers 

 and transformed into wattles. Parotic feathers often stiff, 

 and most frequently white or yellow. Bar-coverts always 

 differently coloured from the rest of the head, frequently silky 

 grey. Length of wing 2.45 to 4.5 inches. Austro-Malayan, 

 Australian and Polynesian Regions. By far the largest genus 

 of true Honey-eaters. 



The Yellow-spotted Honey-eater. 



Ptilotis analoga. 



Northern Territory to North Queensland, New Guinea, Papuan 

 Islands. 



Upper parts uniform olive; ear-coverts, small spot below ear, and 

 feathers behind the ear, pale yellow; feathers of lower back and rump 

 very flufify, some with terminal whitish spots. Under parts pale olive- 

 grey; centre of abdomen, edge of wing, under wing-coverts and inner 

 margin of quills yellowish. Bill black, feet lead colour, iris black; skin 

 of gape swollen, forming a small yellow wattle. "Wing 3.3 inches. 



Eggs white, with a very few dark markings, and very 

 similar to those of P. chrusotis {lewini). 



The Little Yellow-spotted Honey-eater. 



Ptilotis gracilis. 



Gulf of Carpentaria and Cape York. 



Much smaller than P. analoga, with bill longer in proportion. Nest, 

 eggs and note different; eggs pink, like most of the honey-eaters, not 

 white, like those of P. analoga. Length .5.45 inches, wing 2.85, tail, 2.33, 

 bill 0.67. 



The Fuscous Honey-eater. 



Ptilotis fusca. 



Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland. 



Upper parts olive; ear-coverts dusky olive-grey tipped with brown, a 

 very small patch of pale yellow behind the ear; under parts dull yellowish- 

 grey. Bill yellowish at base, black at tip; feet fleshy brown; iris light 

 yellow; gape yellow. Wing 3.8 inches. Eggs pink. 



