INCONSPICUOUS HONEY-EATER. 
Further observations showed them to be busy at the extremity of a horizontal 
branch of a narrow-leaved mulga or kindred tree. Both birds were at work, 
and I watched till both were away before making a closer examination. A 
nest was evidently just being commenced, as I could plainly seen spiders’ 
webs had been attached to the branch of the tree where the birds had been 
working. Progress was very slow, and I shortly left Wiluna for Bore Well, 
not returning until the 15th August. On returing from the latter locality 
I called en route at several nests I was watching, only to find them pulled out 
by the blacks. It was with some trepidation I visited my ‘ Gerygone ’ nest, 
as I then called it. Tracks of blacks’ feet were only too plentiful, and I hardly 
expected to find the nest safe. Judge of my delight when I could see the 
frail little structure quite intact, and with the tail of the sitting bird projecting 
over the side. I could just reach the branch. Cautiously bending down 
I peeped in. There were two remarkably large eggs for so small a bird, with 
the glow of the yolks shining through the shells. I carefully removed and 
packed them, and then broke off the branch holding the nest. The latter was 
a frail affair, and lacked neatness and finish in its architecture. The walls 
were very thin, the eggs being plainly visible from below. An attempt had 
been made to bend long horsehairs into a circular form, with more or less 
success. These w T ere held in position by spiders’ webs and cocoons, but long 
ends had been left dangling about in a very unfinished manner. The whole 
structure was sufficiently elastic, and was attached to the branch of the tree 
with spiders’ webs. The dimensions of the nest are as follows: Long 
diameter, 2f inches ; short diameter, 2 inches ; depth of cup, nearly 1 inch. 
The eggs were quite fresh and the descriptions are as follows : At first 
glance resemble those of some types of Ephtliianurince. Shape swollen oval, 
texture of shell being fine and slightly glossy; colour white, moderately 
marked with small rich reddish-brown spots, virile some of dull purplish- 
grey, and appearing as if beneath the surface of the shell, are mixed with the 
other markings, but only at the larger ends of the eggs. Specimen (a) is much 
more heavily marked than specimen (6), and the spots are larger. The 
markings on both eggs are confined chiefly to the larger ends. Measurements 
in inches : (a) 0*71 by 0*49 ; (b) 0*68 by 0*48. In the field this little bird looks 
almost uniform grey. A fully fledged nestling, shot 24th October, has a 
tinge of greenish-yellow on the throat, showing an affinity to Zosterops in 
tins direction.” 
Nothing has since been written about it until last year (1921) Mellor 
again met with it and recorded : “ The plate (given in the Emu) is somewhat 
misleading, as there is a certain amount of yellowish tinge about the upper- 
surface of the birds. This is not in the five bird, there being no ‘ adornment 
VOL. XI. 
385 
