MELITHREPTITS MELANOCEPHALUS (Gould). 



III.. I < 7\" // A'. I DEI) IIOXE Y- E. \ TEE. 



rilHE Black-headed Honey-eater is found only in Tasmania, where it frequents the Eucalyptus forests, 

 ■ generally in companies of from ten to twenty. Its fondness for fruit makes it a great pest to those 

 who own orchards, anions which it creates great havoc in the fruit season. 



This is one of the many foster-parents of the young of Cacomantis Flabelliformis, by which bird 

 its nesl is very often chosen for <lenositin< r e< »•»»>*. 



The whole of tlie head and throat, and a semi-lunar mark on each side of the chest, deep glossy 

 black : all the upper surface, greenish-olive; wings and tail brownish-grey, with lighter margins; breast, 

 white; remainder of the under surface, greyish-white ; hill, black; irides, reddish-brown; feet, brown. 



The sexes do not differ in colouring, but the young differ from the adults in having the throat 

 yellowish-white, instead of black, and the base of the hill flesh-colour or yellow. 



Total length of adult, 5^ inches: bill, 9 / 16 inch; wing, :{ inches; tail, 2| inches; tarsi, I inch. 

 I [abitai : Tasmania. 



GENUS N ECTARINIA (Illiger). 



f I iHIS genus is found in China, Japan, India, and the adjacent islands, and also in Africa. One species 

 J- inhabits Australia. 



MXTAKIMA AUSTRALIS (Gould). 



A USTR ILIA N SI X-BIRD. 



rPHK north-east coast of Australia, as well as the adjacent islands, is inhabited by this pretty bird, 

 J- which was first discovered there by Commander luce, of H.M.S. " Fly." It is not at all numerous, 

 and very seldom more than a pair are seen together. In general habits it very much resembles the 

 Myzomela Obscura, like that bird frequenting flowering trees in order to obtain the insects which are to 

 be found in the blossoms. During the period of incubation the male is very pugnacious, driving away 

 all the other birds which come near the nest. 



The breeding season lasts during the months of November and December. The nest, which is 

 generally attached to a twig of a small shrub, is formed of fibrous roots and strips of the bark of the 

 Melaleuca (tea-tree), interwoven with webs and cocoons of spiders and caterpillars, and lined inside with 

 feathers and native cotton. Two eggs are laid, of a greenish-grey colour, spotted with dull brown. 



The male has the crown of the head and upper surface olive-green ; throat and chest, steel- 

 blue ; remainder of the under surface, yellow ; bill and feet, black. The female has the whole of the 

 under surface yellow, without a trace of the steel-blue which is on the chest of the male. 



Total length, 4f inches; bill, | inch; wing, 2^ inches; tail, L,^ inch; tarsi, § inch. 



Habitat : North-east coast of Australia and all the islands in Torres Straits. 



