LEAST HONEY-EATER. 
of trees and grass. The nests vary much in appearance, some being built 
entirely of grass and spider-web, whilst others contain only bark and spider- 
egg cases. The male birds are noticeably larger than the females and those 
figured by Gould are typical of the North Kimberley birds. Small parties 
were seen flying between Eclipse and Graham Moore Islands and the 
mainland.” 
A. S. Le Souef has written: “I was glad to hear this cheerful songster 
at Mr. McKenzie Grants’ station near Geraldton. It was singing with its Reed- 
Warbler’s note in exactly the same way as we heard it at Stradbroke Island, 
Queensland, last year.” 
The teclmical history is somewhat complicated from the beginning, as 
among the descriptions of birds given by Vigors and Horsfield in their basic 
Essay is included: “ Melipha.ga indistincta Mel. supra olivaceo-fusca, subtus 
sordide albida, remigibus flavescentibus. This bird, which was found by 
Mr. Brown at King George’s Sound, on the South Coast of New Holland, appears 
closely allied to the last (M. lunulata). It is, however, in very bad condition 
and scarcely admits of a description. The dimensions appear nearly the same 
as those of Mel. lunulata. It has much the appearance of a young bird. 
This was apparently ignored by Gould, although the type-specimen was 
available in London, and in 1837 he described GlycipTiila (?) ocularis from Van 
Diemen’s Land and G. (?) subocularis, writing regarding the latter : A species 
from New South Wales, which differs from Gly. ocularis in being rather smaller, 
and in its more olive colouring.” 
hi his folio work he correctly referred G. ocularis to New South Wales, 
as it does not occur in Tasmania, and made G. subocularis a synonym which it 
certainly was, being based on a female bird. In his “ Handbook he revoked 
again, waiting, “ In the folio edition of the Birds of Australia I united this bird 
with S. ocularis, but upon further examination and comparison, I have come 
to the conclusion that it is different. I believe that another species of this 
form exists on the north-west coast. The S. subocularis is a smaller bird than 
S. ocularis, and consequently one of the most diminutive of the Meliphagidce ; 
besides differing in size, a yellower tint pervades the entire plumage, and the 
little spangle-hke feathers behind the eye are scarcely observable ; in all other 
respects the two birds are very similar. The S. subocularis was shot on the 
north-west coast, and the skin kindly sent to me by Lieut. Emery of HALS. 
‘ Beagle.’ ” When Gadow catalogued the birds in the British Museum he ignored 
the real typical specimen, if not the actual type of G. ocularis, which is still 
preserved, but marked as type of G. subocularis the specimen referred to above 
as sent by Lieut. Emery of H.M.S. “ Beagle,” which of course is not the real 
type by any means. 
VOL. XI. 
425 
