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THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA 
12. Helmeted Friar-bird Philemon yorki Mathews 
yorlci — Cape York (northern Queensland). 
Distribution. — Northern and eastern Queensland to Mackay. 
Notes. — Fairly common in open forest country, frequenting the 
flowering trees. It is aggressive towards smaller birds, as well as being 
exceptionally noisy; its call-note, resembling “Poor devil, poor devil,” is 
constantly repeated. Food: insects, nectar, native fruits, and berries. 
Nest. — A deep, cup-shaped structure, composed of strips of bark, 
grasses, and roots, compactly woven together; lined with fine grasses and 
rootlets. Usually suspended from a forked branch of a tree, at heights 
up to 40 feet or more from the ground. 
Eggs. — Three or four, pinkish-white, spotted and boldly blotched 
with reddish-brown and dull purple, the markings being bigger and more 
numerous about the larger end. Breeding-season: August to January. 
13. Noisy Friar-bird Philemon corniculatus Latham 
corn-ic-u-la -tus — L., corniculatus, horned. 
Distribution. — Eastern Australia. 
Notes. — Also called Leatherhead, Monk, Four-o’-clock, Pimlico, and 
Poor Soldier. It is plentiful in open forest, brush, and scrub-lands, being 
a noisy and pugnacious bird of nomadic habits. At times it does consider- 
able damage in orchards. Its call resembles the words “Poor soldier,” 
“Pimlico,” “Four-o’-clock,” and so on. Food: insects, nectar, native fruits, 
berries, and cultivated fruits. 
Nest. — A deep, open, cup-shaped structure, composed of strips of 
bark and grasses, compactly woven together with cobwebs and cocoons; 
neatly lined with dried grasses. Usually suspended from a drooping 
branch, often overhanging water, at heights up to 50 feet or more from 
the ground. 
Eggs. — Two to four, pinkish-buff, spotted with clouded markings of 
chestnut and dull purplish-grey. Breeding-season : August to December or 
January. 
14. Red Wattle-bird Anthochara carunculata Shaw 
An-tho-chcer’-a — Gk, anthos, flower; Gk, chairein, to rejoice: car-un-cu- 
la'-ta — L., carcunculatus, with small pieces of flesh. 
Distribution.— From southern Queensland to Victoria to south- 
western Australia; accidental to New Zealand. 
Notes. — Also called Gill-bird, Wattled Honey-eater, and Mutton-bird. 
Nomadic in movements, following the eucalypts, angophoras, and banksias 
as these trees blossom. It frequents chiefly open forest country in the 
spring and summer, where it usually breeds, and the heath-lands in the 
autumn and winter to feed on the flowering banksias. Its flesh is excellent 
eating, and great numbers are killed each year for the table. It has a series 
of loud, harsh call-notes, difficult to imitate; also a double whistling note 
when startled. Food : insects and nectar, also cultivated fruits. 
