BLACK HONEY-EATER. 
seen. August 20, 1913. A good many on scrubby red sandhills 15 miles 
east of Maud’s Landing (40 miles S.E. from Point Cloates). 
Rogers’ note from Derby, as given by Hall, reads: “ It is strange no 
record (1900) has hitherto been made of the finding of this species in the 
north-west, because it appears to be very common. The Black Honey-eater 
perches on the top of a blooming eucalypt, and judging by its motions one 
would take it to be a Fly-catcher fluttering after small native bees which are 
being attracted by the honey-laden flowers. On opening the stomachs of 
several I found them crammed with bees, while from each of others a 
spoonful of honey' fell from the bird when it was held downwards by the 
feet.” 
Whitlock wrote from the East Murchison: “ Found in scattered pair’s 
throughout the district, but showing a preference for stony hill sides. I 
found several nests, and secured perfect clutches of eggs, also a pair of 
nestlings. The female does all the work of nest building. The male perches 
near at hand on some conspicuous twig, where he utters his monotonous 
call, with an occasional erratic flight around. When the female arrives with 
building materia] he flutters down to the half-finished nest—I suppose to 
show his appreciation.” 
Macgillivray, from the Barrier Range district, wrote : “ The Black Honey- 
eaters were either feeding on the mistletoe or occupied with nesting cares. 
When a turpentine bush dies, usually from being ring-barked by rabbits in 
the drought, the dead branches arch over till the tips touch the ground. 
It is here that the Black Honey-eater usually places its little nest in the 
convexity of the arch, where there is a sufficient fork to fix it to.” 
Ashby, recording notes on birds met with near Pimgonda in South 
Australia, wrote : “ Black Honev-eaters were not uncommon. One’s attention 
was usually called to them by hearing their warning call—a low but strangely 
penetrating whistle; at a little distance this whistle so closely resembles the 
call of the Scrub Robin that at first I thought I was listening to that species. 
One nest with eggs was found placed in a fork of dead mallee about 3 feet 
from the ground.” 
The technical history is a little confused. Gould described the species 
from the Interior of New South Wales before he went to Australia, and when 
I prepared my “ Reference List ” I accepted that as correct and separated 
two subspecies, naming thus : 
Myzomela nigra nigra Gould. 
Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, 
South Australia. 
Myzomela nigra westraliensis Mathews. 
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