THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
stunted native banksia offers great attraction when in bloom, and in the open 
scrub lands around Frankston wherever the banksia is growing you are certain 
to find this species. I noticed a bird fly from a bunch of saplings, and there 
must have been a nest as, though I could not find it, the birds kept flying all 
around me. Alighting on the ground, one, that appeared to be the female, 
would flap away through the burnt scrub, feigning a broken wing, in the 
endeavour to draw me away from the nest or young. The notes of this species 
are very melodious, and may be heard some distance away.” 
Howe has recorded from Stawell, Victoria : “ A nest was found containing 
young about a day old ; they were blind, and covered with dark grey down; 
gape yellow, inside of mouth bright orange. When engaged in nest building, 
we noticed they were always careful to alight about ten yards from the nest, 
and, running along the ground, approach it in that fashion. The song of 
this bird is very pleasing, and consists of five liquid notes, generally uttered 
on the wing.” Later he added : “ Fairly common where the porcupine grew, 
and in this grass nests containing young in various stages were seen.” 
Captain S. A. White wrote regarding the birds of Mallacoota, Victoria: 
“ Were met with on the heath country near the coast, where they were 
breeding. Specimens handled showed a very light fore-head, in some cases 
almost white.” 
Writing about a trip to the Gawder Ranges, South Australia, the same 
writer observed : “ Rarely seen on the trip. The bird’s absence is no doubt 
due to the want of undergrowth and bush country. On the edge of the 
mallee, down south, w T e met with it here and there, and its long-drawn, 
mournful cry was heard several times.” 
Miss Fletcher, recording observations on the Honey-eaters of Cleveland 
district, Tasmania, has written : “ I was interested to find this little bird 
in our district, but it w r as very local. It w r as only seen in a limited area of 
banksia scrub which extended along the railw r ay line for a few miles. Owing 
to its shy, almost mouse-like nature, observation of its habits, without field- 
glasses, was difficult, for it invariably flitted out of sight amongst the under- 
growth as soon as a near inspection was made. I was pleased to record it 
for our district, because I believe it generally prefers the banksian and 
boobyalla areas round the coasts. Whilst spending the last Christmas holidays 
at Swansea, on the East Coast, I frequently flushed thesfi birds from the 
scrubs on the sandhills.” 
Sullivan has written regarding Mallee Honey-eaters: “ The Tawny- 
crowned Honey-eater seemed to be confined to an area around Antwerp. 
In this district the birds could always be found, but I saw' no signs of them 
outside three miles from the railway siding. It generally frequented the 
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