1897.] Birds of New Guinea. 209 
the length of 5.6 inches. The tail of this solitary species of its 
kind is rather longer than among the true Pittas. Its legs are 
long while a peculiar bristling of the frontal feathers disting- 
uishes it still further from its family. 
Honey-eaters are well represented in New Guinea and its 
islands ; in fact several islands of the Malay Archipelago con- 
tain a species, even a genus peculiar to themselves. They are 
never large birds, the average size being perhaps 8 inches 
in length, but they differ largely in respect to plumage, many 
of them being plain, others conspicuous by their brilliancy or 
some striking arrangement of color. Mr. H. O. Forbes has told 
us how lovely certain forms of Myzomela are, and one in par- 
ticular—M. annabelle—collected in Timor-Laut, embellishes 
as frontispiece, “A Naturalist’s Wanderings.” 
Ptilotis filigera (Gould)—the Streaked Honey-Eater—from 
Northern Australia and Southeastern New Guinea isonly imper- 
fectly described by its name. The streaks are rather obscure 
markings, spots or shadings upon a portion of the generally 
brownish surface. Bare whitish spaces irregular in form sur- 
round the eyes. Just above the extended line of bare skin lies 
a patch of black. Above this the head is dark brown, the same 
color as that of the long tail on its upper surface. The neck, 
throat, breast and sides area bluish-gray, lighter on the throat, 
The under parts are a soft fawn color, at times reddish, particu- 
larly on the flanks. The upper parts are a delicate brown, 
mottled and streaked along the bend of the wings. The bill 
is unusually long, dark and strong. Total length 8 inches. 
The naturalist Moseley of the Challenger Expedition saw 
many of these little birds together with a kindred species P. 
crysalis at Cape York where they were busily employed in suck- 
ing the honey or eating the insects in the scarlet blossoms of 
the Erythrina tree. The last mentioned Honey-eater—P. 
erysalis—Mr. Guillemard collected on the shores of New Guinea. 
Ptilotis albonotata—the White-spotted Honey-eater—a new 
Species when Salvadori named it twenty years ago, 1s also a 
Plain member of the large family of the Meliphagide. The 
White spots of the present species are small the largest appearing 
just behind the ear. On the bend of the wings isa line of white, 
