PLATE 



XYI. 



P T ELOTIS C E ATITJA (Gould ). 



WA TTLE- CHEEKED HONE Y-EA TER. 



rTIHE forests on the Upper Torrens, in South Australia, are the haunts of this bird, but it is also 

 J- found in the brushes near the Murray and on Kangaroo Island off Yorke Peninsula. It is very 

 closely allied to Ptilotis Auricomis, from which, however, it can readily be distinguished by the stripe 

 of lilac-coloured bare skin which extends from the corner of the mouth down the sides of the 

 cheeks. 



As is the case with all the Ptilotes, the female is smaller than the male, but does not differ 

 in plumage. 



The crown of the head is grey ; the upper surface, olive-green ; wings and tail, brown 

 margined with olive ; lores, a large space round the eye, and the ear-coverts, black ; below this a 

 narrow line of bright yellow ; down each side of the throat a fleshy appendage, free at the lower 

 end, of a beautiful lilac-colour ; throat, yellow ; under surface, grey, tinged with olive-yellow ; irides 

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



Total length, 7 inches ; bill, | inch ; wing, 2^ inches ; tail, 3^ inches ; tarsi, f inch. 

 Habitats : South Australia and Kangaroo Island. 



PTILOTIS OENATA (Gould). 



GRA CEFUL PTILOTIS. 



rilHAT home of so many beautiful birds, the Belts of the Murray, also contains this species, justly 

 -*~ called graceful. It is also seen in the neighbourhood of Perth, in Western Australia, where it 

 creeps and flits about the branches of the high gum-trees in search of insects. 



It almost continually pours forth a loud ringing note, which is rather pleasing to the ear. 



The nest, a small, neat structure of fibres and grasses, joined together with spiders' webs, is 



suspended from a forked branch, generally in an exposed position. The eggs, either two or three in 



number, are of a deep salmon-colour, lighter at the smaller end, with minute spots of reddish-brown 

 plentifully distributed over them. They are nine lines long by seven lines broad. 



The crown of the head, the external edge of the wings, the rump and tail feathers are olive ; 

 back, olive-brown ; all the under surface, greyish- white, each feather with a mark of brown down the 

 centre ; on each side of the neck a line of yellow feathers ; bill, black ; irides, brown ; legs and feet, 

 brown. 



Total length, 6^ inches; bill, % inch; wing, 3| inches; tail, 3^ inches; tarsi, f inch. 

 Habitats: The Belts of the Murray in South Australia, and Swan River in Western Australia 



