THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
7j. gouldi Bonaparte. The specimen described was probably collected at 
King George Sound by some of the French voyageurs, where this bird is 
common. 
Gould also described it, but as he selected a name previously used in this 
genus, Bonaparte renamed it after Gould. 
Gould’s notes read : “ Is an inhabitant of the western coast of Australia, 
where it constitutes a beautiful representative of the Z. ccerulescens of the 
southern and eastern coasts. As might be supposed, the habits, manners, 
actions and economy of two species so nearly allied are very similar; hence 
the settlers of Swan River were not long in discovering that in this species 
they had found no friend to their gardens during the season when the fruits 
are ripening, wdiatever good it may effect by the destruction of insects at 
other periods. Gilbert informed me that: 6 This bird is particularly fond 
of figs and grapes, it consequently abounds in all the gardens where these 
plants are cultivated, and it is often to be seen as numerous as sparrows 
in England ; besides feeding upon fruits, I have also observed it taking flies 
while on the wing after the manner of the true Fly-catchers. Its note is a 
single plaintive one, several times repeated, and its flight is irregular and 
of short duration. The breeding-season commences in August, and ends in 
November; those nests that came under my observation during the earlier 
part of the season invariably contained two eggs ; but in October and November 
I usually found the number to be increased to three, and upon one occasion 
to four.’ ” 
Mr. Tom Carter has written me : “ The Green-backed White-eye is one 
of the commonest birds through all the south-west of West Australia and 
was occasionally seen at Point Cloates. They are fairly numerous about 
Carnarvon, and those, who hr recent years, have started fruit gardens on the 
banks of the Gascoyne River complain about the damage done to the fruit 
from these birds piercing such a quantity with their sharp little beaks. This 
is a common complaint all through the south-west, grapes especially suffering 
from the probing. Countless thousands of birds are shot annually at the 
orchards. August 16th, 1911. Found a nest containing small young in a low 
bush near Carnarvon. Li the south-west this species is rather a late breeder, 
eggs being found from the end of September to the end of the year. The 
nest is very pretty, neatly made, of a deep cup-shape, mostly of fine dry grass, 
and a little hah’ or wool as a lining. It is usually built in a bush, about three or 
four feet above the ground. The clutch is two or tlmee eggs. At Broome Hill, 
Oct. 7th, 1906, two fresh eggs ; Oct. 18th, 1910, tlmee eggs. At Albany, Jan. 
10th, 1910, two small young in nest. At Margaret River, three fresh eggs.” 
Captain S. A. White wrote me : “ This bird is like other members of this 
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