WHITE-BROWED SPINEBILL. 
upper-surface but paler on the dark pattern. Bill very dark horn, feet brown, eyes 
red. Total length 145 mm. ; culmen 21, wing 63, tail 57, tarsus 20. Figured. 
Collected at Wilson’s Inlet, South-west Australia, on the 28th of April, 1910, and is 
the type of A. s. wilsoni. 
Adult female similar to the adult male. 
Eggs. Two eggs usually form the clutch. A pair taken at Perth, Western Australia, 
on the 8th of November, 1902, is of a pale pinkish-white ground-colour, spotted 
with chestnut and dull purplish-grey, the markings being confined chiefly to the 
larger end of each egg. Swollen ovals in shape ; surface of shell smooth and slightly 
glossy. 18-19 by 13 mm. 
Nest. Very similar to that of A. t. tenuirostris, except that it is slightly smaller than that 
of the latter. 
Breeding-months. August to December. 
Before Gould went to Australia he published his Synopsis of the Birds of 
Australia, and introducing the new genus Acanthorhynchus for the well-known 
Gerthia tenuirostris of Latham, added a new species, A. superciliosus, giving as 
the locality Van Diemen’s Land. Upon receipt of further specimens Gould 
discovered the error and then wrote : “ Hitherto I have only received this fine 
and well-marked species of Spine-billed Honey-eater from Western Australia, 
but hereafter it will doubtless be found to range over a^ihfo'eli greater extent of 
country; although a very local bird, it is tolerably abundant both at Swan 
Biver and King George’s Sound, and is found to give a decided preference to 
the forests of Banksias, upon the blossoms of which trees it almost solely 
subsists. Its food consists of bisects and honey, for obtaining which its 
delicately organised bill is peculiarly adapted. Like its congeners, this species 
occasionally frequents the low shrub-like trees, and sometimes is even to be 
observed upon the ground in search of food. In its actions it displays great 
activity, darting about from branch to branch with a rapid zigzag motion ; 
its flight is irregular and uneven, but it often rises perpendicularly in the air, 
uttering at the same time a rather pretty song.” 
Mr. Tom Carter has written me : “ In your ‘Reference List’ of 1912 this 
species is given as occurring throughout West Australia. I have onty observed 
it in the coastal districts of the south-west, where it is very abundant. It 
was never seen about Broome Hill, nor in Gascoyne district.” 
Captam S. A. White states : “ This is the most beautiful of the family 
and is fairly plentiful over the south-western districts of West Australia, 
especially along the coast-line. They w r ere common round Perth in 1889 ; 
then habits and food seem to be the same as those of the Eastern species and 
they nest during September, October and November.” 
Milligan’s notes from the Margaret River district, South-west Australia, 
read: “ These buds were numerous in the banksia and tea-tree country. I 
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