16 
faced ( Mehphaga chrysops ) is well known for his loud 
“Chick-up, chick-up !” It is a species that flocks during 
the winter months and is a very common bird in Bris- 
bane. The Noisy (Philemon cornicnlatus) and Little Friar 
Birds ( Philemon atreogularis) are also very noisy and 
active and also flock. The Little Wattle Bird 
( Anihochaera chrysoptera), a species often found asso- 
ciated with tlie lianksia, also has a voice that is anything 
hut musical. The inquisitive Noisy Miner ( Myzantha 
melanocephala ) is too well known to need description. 
It is semi-terrestrial, and has acquired the habit of walk- 
ing when on the ground. Most passerine birds hop. A 
species with a rather restricted habitat is the Lewin 
( Mehphaga lewini). It is found along creeks and shady 
areas, and not in the open forest, generally. It is usually 
identified by its loud cheerful note long before it is seen. 
The Spinebill ( Acanthorhy n ch us tenuirostris) is a species 
generally found during the winter. It is well known for 
its hovering habits. 
This concludes a necessarily brief list of the Brisbane 
Honeyeaters. It does not pretend to be a complete, but 
rather a representative list. Possibly in the course of 
time, other species may be added. 
CAN I EAT THAT TOADSTOOL ? 
-T. E. C. ABERDEEN 
Of course you can, but you might not be happy about 
it afterwards. Unfortunately, the question as to which 
of our mushrooms and toadstools can be eaten without 
any ill-effects, is largely unanswered. Local experience 
is the only sure guide, though we may often draw sound 
general conclusions from overseas experience. A second 
factor in assessing the poisonous properties of the toad- 
stools, is that of personal idiosyncrasy and allergy — 
literally “What is one man s meat is another man’s 
poison. There are however, several common types that 
are worthy of note by mycophagists, as those to be 
avoided and it is proposed in this article and two sub- 
sequent ones, to describe these species, in each case, com- 
paring it with the edible species with which it is most 
likely to be confused. 
A species which has been definitely incriminated in 
northern New South Wales is the hysteria toadstool 
Punaeolus ovatns Cke. and Mass, (see 'Figs. 1 and 2). 
