THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
Capt. S. A. White writes : “Is a common bird in South Australia, met 
with all through the Mallee country but does not seem to extend into the 
interior. It follows the Flinders Range for some 400 miles inland and I have 
taken it at Ooldea on the Nullarbor Plain. Specimens taken in the Mallee 
east of the Murray, Mount Lofty Ranges, Yorke’s Peninsula, Eyre Peninsula, 
West Coast, Flinders Range, Ooldea and other places show little variation 
to me. Their note is a feeble one and they live upon insect life mostly, but 
when the gums are in blossom frequent the flowers for honey.” 
Sullivan remarks : “ It is remarkable how the short bill takes from this 
bird the vdiole characteristic shape of the Honey-eaters. As this bird hops 
and dives about the mallee bushes in search of blight and larva; hidden under 
bark, it might easily be taken for a Tit.” 
Wilson, writing of the Victorian Mallee, recorded : “ Another familiar 
bird that w r e frequently met; although differing but very slightly from the 
southern representative of the species, it is not of such a stout build.” 
Ashby, from the South Australian Mallee, simultaneously wrote: “ The 
specimens obtained were very bright green on the back; whether or not there is 
an exceptionally green strain inhabiting the Malice, I was unable to determine.” 
Of the Flinders Range Captain S. A. White has stated: “ Was the 
commonest bird in the ranges. It was travelling about in parties of from 
twelve to thirty.” Later of Mallee (South Australia) birds he added ; “ Seen 
in the low scrub close to the river. Two specimens taken at ‘ Millewa,’ 11/10/17. 
No. 1 $, iris brown: bare skin round eye pale yellow; bill black; feet brownish- 
yellow ; length 150 mm. ; spread of wings 220 mm. Upon comparison these 
birds do not differ from specimens from the north-west of this State.” 
Le Souef and Macpherson have written from Sydney, whence this bird 
was first described by Latham and also by Vigors and Horsfield: “ This 
species is rather numerous in Taronga Park, where a combination of eucalyptus 
and flower beds is much to its liking. It is very happy when the caimas 
are in flower, and bores holes at the base of the blossom to extract the nectar. 
These birds are very tame, and usually go about in small flocks, and have 
a chuckling note.” 
Of the Kangaroo Island bird A. G. Campbell has written: “ This bud 
inhabits the sugar gums and the stringy-bark. It has been separated from 
ill. brevirostris as a new species by Mr. A. J. North. It has a large bill (‘57 in.), 
but M. brevirostris reaches *5 in. The colour of the bill is black, while M. 
brevirostris is brownish-black. Specimens from Nhill, in North-western Victoria 
are, however, jet black, like the Island form. As with all Mclithrepli, the 
bill of the female sex is always smaller by about - 05 in. There is a traceable 
dark band below the light collar which does not exist in the mainland birds, 
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