IP Xj .A. TIE 



XXI. 



GENUS GLYCIPHILA (SnmvsJ 



THE members of this genus differ from most of the other Meliphagidce in their much greater powers 

 of flight, and also in the fact that insects form a larger portion of their food. 



GLYCIPHILA FULVIFROXS (Swams). 



FUL VO US-FRON TED HONE Y-EA TER. 



friHIS bird is found in all the southern portion of Australia, as well as in New South Wales, the 

 J- northern part of Tasmania, and the islands in Bass's Straits. It is very shy, and usually 

 remains on the topmost branches of a tall tree, where its presence will be discovered by its song, 

 which is very peculiar, " commencing with a single note slowly drawn out, and followed by a quick 

 repetition of a double note repeated six or eight times in succession." 



The nest, which is placed in a low bush, is formed of dried grasses and lined with sheep's 

 wool, or various other materials, according to the locality. In the breeding season, which lasts from 

 August to February, it lays either one or two eggs, sometimes perfectly white, but usually marked 

 with spots and blotches of reddish-brown. They are ten lines long and seven lines broad. 



Crown of the head and forehead, fulvous or tawny ; over each eye a narrow line of white ; 

 a line of brownish-black commences at the base of the bill, surrounds the eye, and passes down the 

 sides of the neck and chest; centre of the back, dark brown, witli a stripe of ashy -brown down the 

 centre of each feather ; the remainder of the upper surface and flanks, ashy -brown ; throat and abdomen, 

 white; wings and tail, dark brown, the wing-coverts and primaries bordered with olive; irides, light 

 brown : bill, blackish-brown ; legs and feet, black. 



The young bird differs considerably in plumage from the adult. 



Habitats : New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, the southern portion of Western 

 Australia, Tasmania, and the islands in Bass's Straits. 



GLYCIPHILA ALBIFEOXS (Gould). 



\ \ HITE- FRONTED HONE Y-EA TER. 



THIS species is not found near the coast, but is very plentiful in the interior of Xew South Wales, 

 Victoria, South Australia, and Western Australia— in fact, it is the inland representative of the 

 Glyciphila Fulvifrons of the coast. Like the other members of the genus, it is exceedingly shy. 



The nest is a shallow structure made of small sticks, lined with Zamia wool and the soft buds 

 of some flowers. The eggs are nine and a half lines long by seven lines broad, and are of a pale 

 buff colour, with spots of chestnut and bluish-grey distributed over the surface, particularly at the larger end. 



