The Queensland Naturalist. August, 1935. 
86 
This species is by no means plentiful within the vicinity of 
Brisbane, as a matter of fact, I only know of one other 
place of its occurence, and that is at Spicer’s Gap, where 
the performance of a colony of Bell Birds was success- 
fully broadcasted some time ago. The particular colony of 
Bell Birds under discussion, was located on the Conon- 
dale Range, about miles from Maleny. I wonder would 
this be the nearest place to Brisbane in which this species 
has been found? On information received from our guide, 
to whom they are apparently old friends, it seems that this 
colony has lived in that particular locality for quite a 
number of years. This is in accord with what has al- 
ready been written about that celebrated bird. It seems 
that the Bell Miner, when he finds a suitable position, just 
simply stays put, and rears his family, and so the process 
continues until they are molested or civilisation drives 
them back. Other than the family we had under observa- 
tion, there seemed to be plenty more about, a Bell Bird 
census of that particular district, if such were possibe, 
would, no doubt, prove interesting. 
The Bell Bird, in popular opinion, is certainly the 
most celebrated of the Honeyeaters. The family to which 
he belongs, the Meliphgidae or Honeyeaters, is, without 
doubt, an outstanding one in Australian ornithology, when 
we come to consider some other members of that group** 
for instance, that brilliant little gem, the Scarlet Honey- 
eater, or Blood Bird, with his equally brilliant note, the 
sombre coloured Brown Honeyeater, with his joyous shout, 
what a voice he has ! The hovering Spinebill, the acrobatic 
White Nape, the obstreperous Friar Bird, the ringing notes 
of the Lewin, in the depths of the forest, the sheer beauty 
of the Regent, and the Yellow Tuft, and many others, what 
an imposing array! The Bell Miner has achieved fame, 
not on his appearance, nor on being the possessor of a 
charming song, but on his ability to raise his voice in 
chorus, so that the deep gullies and mountain ridges, in 
which he resides, echo to the sound of a medley of chim- 
ing bells. It would seem that the Bell Miners’ ability to 
make the welkin ring, to use a familiar expression, might 
in this case, be taken in its literal sense. 
The Bell Birds of Conondale are not in the least bit 
shy. They capered among the branches of some nearby 
trees, just alongside the road, in true Honeyeater fashion, 
Occasionally one would dive down into the lantana below, 
so that at times, field glasses became quite unnecessary. 
The call showed little variation, but to a sensitive ear, the 
note, at times seemed to vary in pitch, so that the per- 
formance could not be called monotonous. Now and then, 
