THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
I'M 
Eggs. Clutch, three. White or pinkish-white, covered with fine dots or blotches of 
purplish-red. 17-18 mm. by 14-15. 
Breeding-season. September to December. 
As Gould named this species, I give his notes : “ This, so far as I know, 
is a stationary species, and is abundantly dispersed over all parts of New 
South Wales, but evinces a greater preference for the open forests of 4 Eucalypti 5 
than for the brushes near the coast. I found it in considerable numbers in 
every part of the Upper Hunter district, nearly always among the gum trees, 
and constantly uttering a peculiar and not very harmonious strain. It is very 
active among the small leafy branches of the trees, where it searches with 
the greatest avidity for insects upon which it almost exclusively subsists, 
resorting for this purpose to trees of all heights, from the low sapling of two 
yards high to those of the loftiest growth.” 
Chisholm’s notes are excellent : “ During January last (1917) I was on 
a visit to the Beechworth district (North-eastern Victoria), and there saw any 
number of members of the pretty species in question. As a matter of fact, 
it was one of the most numerously represented avine families of the locality, 
and throughout almost the whole of the daylight hours its sweet, plaintive 
melody — ‘ joy and sorrow intertwined ’ — could be heard stealing through 
the medley of more strident bird voices. Local residents knew the bird well 
under the colloquial title of 4 Bush Canary,’ and many also were familiar with 
its nest. At that particular period, however, Gery gone's homekeeping duties 
were over for the season, and there was naught to do but ‘ sing and be merry.’ 
The species, I am told, keeps more or less closely to those north-eastern hills 
the whole year through, but is a good deal quieter during the winter, which 
is sometimes severe in that locality. In Queensland, our little friend of the 
yellow vest and white collar appears to be more generally distributed, though 
it probably does not at any time wander very far from seaboard. Occasionally 
one hears its melody in the thick scrubs (rain forests) of the north coast, but 
the class of country chiefly favoured is open forest- There is one glade outside 
East Brisbane where I can always be sure of hearing the small melodist 
warbling from the tops of the paper-bark tea-trees. In the spring, when the 
beauteous little ‘ Bloodbirds ’ are there to keep the Flyeaters company, the 
spot is a riot of bird song and colour.” 
Macgillivray’s notes read : “ The White-throated Flyeater was noted 
first about twenty-five miles from Cairns in the scrub. At Sedan they were 
numerous, especially in the gidgee. Also seen on the Leichhardt and Gregory 
Rivers. Iris, dark orange or orange-scarlet ; bill, feet and legs black. The 
species was also heard on the Jardine River. . . A few scattered pairs in the 
forest at the Archer River.” 
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