THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
of the various species of Epacris, a tribe of plants closely allied to the Heaths 
( Euca) of Africa and Europe, which when in bloom are always frequented 
by numbers of these birds ; so much so, indeed, that it would seem as if the 
one was expressly designed for the other. Those who have traversed the 
immense beds of Epacris impressa, so abundantly dispersed over Tasmania, 
must have often observed the bird darting out from beneath his feet, flitting 
off to a very short distance, and descending again to the thickest parts of 
the beds. It also frequents the wattles and gums during then- flowering season, 
and appears to be attracted to their blossoms quite as much for the insects 
as for the nectar, the stomachs of all those dissected containing the remains 
of coleoptera and other bisects. It is rather shy in disposition except when 
closely engaged in procuring food, when it may be approached within a few 
yards or so. Its flight is extremely quick and darting and performed with 
a zigzag motion ; and its note, which is a monotonous shriek, is somewhat 
loud for so small a bird.” 
In this connection I may give a note Dr. Cleland has sent me : “ The 
Proteacece seem especially to attract the various Honey-eaters; Banksias, 
Grevilleas and Adenanthes are especially favoured. I have also shot 
AcantJiorhynchus here, just after feeding on a flower of Adenanthis, and the 
crown was dusted with pollen. When the tip of the bird’s beak -was at the 
bottom of the flower, the stigma bent over and touched the crown of the head. 
The same dusting of the crown with pollen and the same size of the bill as 
regards the flower was noticed in the case of Glyciphila fulvifrons and a Grevillea 
or Adenanthis. The striping of the breast of Anthochcera carunculata with 
its dash of yellow is strikingly like the cones of flowers of many Banksias, 
on winch this bird very largely feeds. The livers of Ptilotes and Glyciphilce 
are very frequently found to be a light canary-yellow (fatty mfiltrated livers 
pathologically), probably from the very large amount of sugary foods. Many 
of the proteaceous flowers, if sucked, are very sweet, the Banksia I recently 
handled made my hands so sticky I could do nothing; large drops of honey 
were at the base of each flower. I think there is a very close relation between 
the Proteacece and the Honey-eaters and that the length of bill of the latter 
and the curve is designed to harmonize with the shape of the flowers, and the 
bent styles of the flowers so frequently met with are meant to bend down so 
as to touch the birds’ crown and so insure cross-fertilization by depositing 
pollen there.” 
Captain S. A. White has written me : “ Pretty well the whole of the 
(South-eastern) Australian coastal belt and the islands has one or other of 
the forms of tins species. It is found mostly in the heatli-like country and 
where there is much undergrowth composed chiefly of flowering plants. 
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