BLACK-CHINNED HONEY-EATER. 
any time of the year. The call is a very loud one, and very distinctive of the 
species. The call is invariably made when upon the wing. As a rule these 
birds fly high and become very active and calling loudly after rain. A small 
party of five or six will congregate in the top of a high gum, then fly high in the 
air, fluttering their wings and warbling together. At times they are almost 
all touching one another, some of them, presumably the males, calling loudly 
all the time. They seem of a gregarious habit and very often a party of eight 
or ten are seen moving from one tree-top to another. After writing the above, 
Dr. Morgan reminded me of a strange trait in this bird’s character which I had 
often noticed but had forgotten, namely, the habit of clinging on to the stems 
of gum-trees and pulling off the bark in search of insects after the manner of 
Climacteris (Treecreepers).” 
Ashby, dealing with the Flinders Range bird, wrote: “ Showed some 
slight differences from the Adelaide form. The nape-ring was whiter and 
broader; the yellowish-green of rump extends right across the back to the 
black neck-ring.” 
I would draw attention to the record of Ramsay in 1875 in his paper on 
the Birds of Rockingham Bay. Under the name Melithreptus gularis he wrote: 
“ This species appears to be plentiful, but not in the immediate vicinity of the 
coast. It is not rare about Maryborough, and is also found on the Upper 
Herbert. It has considerable powers of song, which may be heard often at 
daylight in the morning. While camped on the banks of the Gregory a pair of 
these birds frequented a Wattle-tree ( Acacia) near to our ‘ tent ’ (a sheet of 
hark !) and delighted us every morning for many days by pouring out their 
varied and pleasing song, which often lasted for ten or fifteen minutes 
without ceasing. I have since heard their song under more comfortable 
circumstances, and my brother and I at once recognised our old friends.” 
Recent writers as Campbell and Barnard do not include this species, but 
Broadbent did, while neither Ramsay nor Broadbent record M. lunatus, which 
the first-named do. 
In the Emu, Vol. XIX., p. 28, 1919, a monograph of the Black-throated 
Honey-eater by P. A. Gilbert was published. This account is one of the best 
that has yet appeared and the author merits sincere congratulations on the 
essay. I refer all my readers to the full paper for study but here quote extracts: 
“ The Black-throated Honey-eater is by no means a shy bird, but if one happens 
to be under a tree wherein it is foraging for insects it descends a branch or two, 
gives an enquiring look from one side to the other at the intruder, and then,' 
with composure, flies to a neighbouring tree, and there renews its search for 
food. The notes of this bird are clear, almost clarion, sometimes suddenly 
changing to shrillness, but always well modulated when thus varied. Its song, 
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