192 MELIPHAGID^. 



placed in a low tree about six or seven feet from the ground but 

 more often in a bush close to the ground. Eggs two or three in 

 number for a sitting, usually two. 



Two eggs taken by Dr. Ramsay at Bondi, on the 25th of August 

 1875, are of a creamy-bufif ground colour, spotted, and minutely 

 freckled with markings of a rich reddish-brown, and a few of 

 reddish-black, more particularly towards the larger end. Length 

 (A) 0-8 X 0-58 inch ; (B) 0-81 x 0-58 inch. 



A set taken by Dr. Hurst, near Botany, on the 21st of July 

 1888, give the following measurements: — length (A) 0-77 x 0-63 

 inch ; (B) 0-77 x 0-6 inch. 



A nest of this species taken by myself at Melbourne, and 

 several others found subsequently, each contained three eggs of 

 M. novce-hollcmdim and one of Chalcites basilis. July and the 

 four following months constitute the breeding season of this species. 



Eab. Wide Bay District, Richmond and ClarenSe Rivers 

 New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia, Tasmania. 

 {Bamsay,) 



■i-r> MELIORNIS LONGIROSTRIS, Gould. 



Long-billed Honey-eater. 

 Gould, Eandhh. Bda. Aust., Vol. i., sp. 297, p. 488. 



This species is an inhabitant of Western Australia, and differs 

 but slightly, if anything at all, from the eastern representative M. 

 nova'-hollandice. Mr. George Masters procured a number of the 

 birds, also nests and eggs, while at King George's Sound in 1868, 

 but failed to find the distinction made by Mr. Gould between 

 the birds from the eastern and western ^^ortions of the continent, 

 specimens having been received from eastern Australia with the 

 bill equally as long and robust as in that of 21. longirostris. 



A nest of this species now before me, taken by Mr. Masters on 

 the 1st of October 1868 is very much neater in appearance on the 

 outside than that of the preceding bird; it is cup-shaped, outwardly 



