RUFOUS-BREASTED HONEY-EATER. 
leaden-blue; eyes greyish-brown. Total length 123 mm.; culmen 11, wing 67, 
tail 45, tarsus 18. Figured. Collected at Cooper’s Camp, Apsley Straits, Melville 
Island, Northern Territory, on the 2nd of October, 1911, and is the type of G. a. 
melvillensis, subsp. nov. It is darker above than those from the mainland and the 
bull on the chest is not so wide. 
Adult female. Similar to the adult male. 
Immature. Resemble the adults in general. 
Eggs. Two to three eggs form the clutch. A clutch of three eggs taken at the King River, 
Northern Territory, on the 6th of January, 1916, is of a white ground-colour, finely 
spotted and speckled nearly all over (particularly at the larger end of each egg) 
with bright chestnut-red. Ovals in shape ; surface of shell smooth, but possessing 
very little gloss. 18-19 by 13 mm. 
Nest. A small cup-shaped structure, composed of fine strips of bark, matted together 
•with spiders’ web, lined with fine grass. Dimensions over all: 3| inches by 2£ 
inches ; egg chamber 2 inches across by If inches deep. Nest suspended by rim 
from small fork of a tree. 
Breeding-months. October to January. 
Another of Gould’s new species that Gilbert discovered. Gilbert’s notes 
read: “I first met with it on Mayday Island in Tan Diemen’s Gulf where it 
appeared to be tolerably abundant-; I afterwards found it to be equally 
numerous in a large inland mangrove swamp near Point Smith. It is an 
extremely active little bird, constantly flitting from branch to branch and 
taking irregular flights during which it utters its pretty song ; it also pours 
forth its agreeable melody for a length of tune -without intermission while sitting 
on the topmost branches of the trees. I never observed it in any other than 
swampy situations, or among the mangroves bordering the deep bays and 
creeks of the harbours. Its small pensile nest is suspended from the extremity 
of a weak projecting branch in such a manner that it hangs over the water, 
the bird always selecting a branch bearing a sufficient number of leaves to 
protect the entrance from the rays of the sun. . . . During the breeding 
season it exhibits considerable pugnacity of disposition, and instead of its 
usual pretty note, utters a chattering and vociferous squeaking. The stomach 
was very small but tolerably muscular, and its food consisted of insects 
generally.” 
Mr. J. P. Rogers wrote me from Melville Island : “ Nov. 20, 1911, Cooper’s 
Camp. This species is very rare ; all seen were near the foreshore or among 
the mangroves. Up to Dec. 12 only a few were seen and these all in or close 
to the mangroves. Jan. 14, 1912. On the north side of the island this 
species was very numerous, being found along all the watercourses and in 
the big paper-bark swamp. In fact this and Gliciphila fasciata were tv o of 
the commonest birds on the north side. This species was apparently just 
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