THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
extracted from the tubular florets. I observed nothing remarkable in its 
economy or in which it differed from the other members of the group. Like 
them, it is generally found among the flowers and the most leafy branches of 
the trees. I have never seen it on the plains, nor have I received specimens 
from any other part of Australia than New South Wales, where it is to be met 
with both in whiter and summer.” 
Mr. L. G. Chandler has written me from Victoria : “ Milton is the only 
district hi which I have met with this bird. They do not appear to be plentiful 
there, but stiff are well distributed. They are fond of insects and often spend 
much of their time in pursuit of them. Several times I have noticed them 
when catching insects, fly close to the ground to capture them. Flying from a 
low stick they secure an insect and return again to perch close to the ground, 
and sometimes on the ground. On June 8th, 1908, I noticed a bird bathing 
in a pool of water at Milton. It stood in the water and splashed the surface 
with its wings.” 
G. F. Hill wrote from the Ararat District, Victoria : <c This is one of the 
few Honey-eaters which remain in the district throughout the year.” 
A note by E. D. Barnard from Kurrajong, Gladstone (Q.), is worth 
quoting: I notice some smaller birds have a very keen eye and a good memory 
for their enemies, the Haivk tribe. Some time ago I shot a Sparrow-Hawk 
which was making itself a nuisance in the poultry yard, and, not making good 
w ork of the skin, threw it out on to a rubbish heap where the winter’s pruning 
had been deposited. It fell down among the branches for some distance, 
almost out of sight; but it was not long before it was discovered by some 
Fuscous Honey-eaters (Ptilotis fusca), which assembled round the Hawk- 
skin, making a great fuss over their discovery. That was, at the least, two 
months ago, and I think that almost every day, and sometimes three or four 
times a day, those half-dozen cheeky little Honey-eaters go right down in the 
heap of twigs and sit close beside and scold the unresponsive heap of feathers. 
Tlieh' hatred seems to be confined to themselves, for no other birds seem to take 
any interest in their actions.” 
Hays, writing from Bundarra, New South Wales, in 1919, notes “This 
desertion of nests (all ready for egg-laying) was found also -with the Fuscous 
Honey-eater (Ptilotis f'asca ). Of twenty-two nests found, only three hatched 
out. lhe remainder, as far as could be ascertained, never had eggs laid in 
them ; but, as most of these birds build very high, I could not be sure, though 
I am certain no others hatched out. Most other Honey-eaters here have 
not ^attempted to build yet, as the drought is still in full force (31st October, 
1919). 
Campbell and Barnard, writing about Cardwell birds, observed: “ These 
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