PTILOTIS LEWINII (Swains.) 



LE WIN'S HONEY-EATER. 



IN the brushes of New South Wales, particularly on the Hunter River and in the Liverpool Range, 

 Lewin's Honey-eater is found in great numbers. In many respects it closely resembles the Ptilotis 

 Flavigula, especially in frequenting low shrub-like trees rather than the tall kings of the forest so favoured 

 by its congeners. 



The food consists principally of hone)* and insects, but this is sometimes varied by fruits and 

 berries. It is remarkably tame in disposition, allowing persons to approach to within a few yards of it 

 without taking flight. During the spring and summer it makes the forest resound continually with a 

 loud whistling note. 



The nest, which is constructed of sticks and lined with fine twigs and fibres, is placed in the midst 

 of a Tecoma or other creeping plant, usually overhanging a pool of water in a gully. The eggs, two in 

 number, are greyish-white, spotted with dark brown ; they are eleven and a half lines long by eight 

 lines broad. 



The upper surface, wings, and tail are olive-green, the primaries and secondaries being bordered 

 with yellowish-brown ; under surface, olive-grey ; beneath the eye is a line of yellow, below which is a 

 narrow line of black ; bill, black ; legs and feet, lead-colour. 



Habitat : New South Wales. 



