WHITE-NAPED HONEY-EATER. 
of the throat serve to distinguish it from every other known species ; the 
colouring of the back, which inclines to rich wax-yellow, is also a character 
peculiar to it. It is very numerous around the settlement of Port Essington, 
where it occurs in families of from ten to fifteen in number ; it is of a very 
pugnacious disposition, often fighting with other birds much larger than itself. 
While among the leafy branches of the Eucalypti , which are its favourite 
trees, it frequently pours forth a loud whistling note, a correct idea of which 
is not easily conveyed. Like its near alhes the sexes present no other external 
difference than the smaller size of the female ; and the young at the same 
age present a similar style of colouring to that observable in the M. lunulatus 
and M. chloropsis, the head and sides of the neck being brown instead of 
black, and the naked skin above the eye scarcely perceptible. The food 
consists entirely of insects and the pollen of flowers, in searching for which 
it displays a great variety of positions, sometimes threading the leaves on the 
smaller branches, and at others clinging to the very extremities of the bunches 
of flowers.” 
Macgillivray has recorded: “ M. albogularis. First met with in the 
Gulf country at the Lorraine camp, on the Leichhardt River, on 3rd July, 
1910. The call was a single piping whistle like that of a Treecreeper. S 
testes enlarged ; irides reddish-brown ; bare skin over the eye white, with 
a faint greenish tinge; bill black; legs olive-brown. Stomach contents, 
small insects. This bird was again found at Cape York, but McLennan is 
of opinion that the bird from this locality shows points of difference. The 
note is different. Noted at Paira, Jardine River, and at Cape Grenville. 
Two skins were obtained at Paha, both females. ? ovary normal: irides 
orange-scarlet, eyelids white, bill black, legs fleshy-brown. Stomach contents, 
honey and small insects.” 
H. L. White has recorded McLennan’s notes from the King River trip 
as follows : “ Pera Head, 4/7/15 ; Mornington Island, 23 and 30/7/15 ; Cape 
Barrow, 25/8/15; and Liverpool River, 21/9/15. A few birds noted at each 
locality. King River and Port Bradshaw. Numerous in the forest country. 
Stomach, a small giub and insect remains.” 
Macgillivray later added: “ The White-throated Honey-eater was 
a common bird on the Claudie. Often in the trees about our camp, especially 
after heavy rain, when the trees and shrubs of the open forest were alive with 
birds. One could sit at the door of the tent and watch these buds together 
with Glyciphila modesta, Monarcha carescens, Myiagra concinna, Arses lorealis, 
Colluricincla parvissima, and many others. According to Mr. McLennan, 
this species is equally common on the Archer River, where he found a pair 
building a nest on the 6th July; this was finished and contained two 
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