326 BIRDS OF THE DISTRICT OF GEELONG 
in the same tree, and one may watch several individuals 
engaged in this fanning performance at the same 
time. It is not kept up for more than a second 
or two at a time, but is frequently repeated. I have 
only noticed it during the actual nesting-time. 
LUNULATED HONEYEATER 
Melithreptus lunatus lunatus 
All the Honeyeaters are wanderers. They have 
their breeding-places, to which they faithfully repair 
when the season comes round ; their movements, 
restricted or extended, during the rest of the year 
are largely dictated by the abundance in one spot 
or another of their favourite food, the sweet nectar 
found in flowers. As we saw when dealing with the 
Lorikeets, it is the numerous species of eucalyptus 
trees that, in the bush, provide the greatest quantity 
of flowers; and the only safe rule one can lay down 
for naturalists who may wish to observe the habits 
of the Honeyeaters is, that these birds will be found 
wherever the gums are in blossom, using their brush- 
like tongues to extract the nectar from the flower- 
cups. Insects form always a part of their diet, but 
the nectar is the chief thing. 
In general appearance the Lunulated Honeyeater, 
which is one of the smaller kinds, is green above and 
pure white below, with a black head which has a 
white crescentic mark running round towards the 
