THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
which is a call to its mates ; another a plaintive little mew, something like 
that of a kitten; and another of two notes, which I never heard during the 
breeding-months. Their food is chiefly gathered from the mistletoe blossoms, 
and, although they can be heard from the house, I never knew one to touch 
fruit in the garden.” 
Mann then added a good note regarding the breeding of a pair and, “ as 
regards their vocal accomplishments,” he observed, “ my experience differs 
somewhat from that of Mr. Morse. The rather high-pitched, musical little bar 
of several notes, from which I have assumed they derived their name, is given 
frequently during the whole time they are with me, and the ‘ Preet, preet ’ 
only when they call each other. When they want to wean off the first family 
before their second adventure they use quite a different sound—between a 
hiss and a snarl, long drawn out—from which the young invariably flee.” 
Mann’s experience at Frankston, Victoria, was that they arrived in the middle 
of September, reared two broods, the first driven out about Christmas, the 
second the end of February, and disappeared by the middle of April. 
Carter investigated the avifauna of Dirk Hartog Island on my behalf and 
observed: “ The large size and bold markings of the birds on Dirk Hartog 
Island attracted my attention at the homestead immediately on arrival. 
Specimens from Dirk Hartog and the Peron average one inch longer in total 
measurement than birds from Carnarvon or Point Cloates districts. They 
are also much darker in the general colour of the mantle and underparts, and 
the black, yellow, and white stripes behind the eyes are larger and brighter 
in colour. Their habits and notes are the same as those from other localities. 
All the scrub on the island swarmed with recently fledged young and their 
parent birds in October, and their noisy presence distracted attention when 
searching for Grass Wrens.” This was the only species of Honey-eater 
observed on Dirk Hartog. 
Whitlock found it also on Barrow Island, writing: “ Common wherever 
suitable cover existed on Barrow Island and Double Island, but absent from 
the smaller islands of the Archipelago. At the time of my visit it was breeding 
in a half-hearted manner and I don’t think I noted more than seven nests,” 
and later added: “ One of the commonest and certainly the most obtrusive 
bird both on Dirk Hartog and Peron Peninsula. It was nesting in both localities, 
large Acacia bushes being the favourite haunt.” 
Ashby noted it was common at places visited in his West Australian trip 
to Geraldton, etc., while Alexander reports that in the Perth district it is 
“ Resident. The most abundant member of the family in the district, being 
specially plentiful on the coastal hills and the islands off the coast.” 
Mr. Tom Carter has written me: “ The Singing Honey-eater is abundant 
464 
