SINGING HONEY-EATER, 
all through the Gascoyne and Mid-west districts, on the coast and inland. 
Though rather a shy and restless species in the bush, many of the birds become 
tame about a homestead. At Point Cloates, where my ‘ dining-table ’ was 
on the front verandah, two or three of these birds would regularly visit it, after 
our meals, and feed on sugar or any jam that might be there. The usual note 
is a rather hard, double one, something resembling the 6 click ’ sound of two 
large stones being hit together. In the winter months, at the first sign of 
daybreak, these birds make quite a pleasing chorus, by many of them singing, 
from different points, against one another. This is only done as a chorus, at 
dawn, although the birds individually constantly utter various notes through 
the day. The nesting season appears to be any time after rains have fallen. 
The nests are made of grass, and if sheeps’ wool is procurable, some of it is often 
used as a lining. The nests are somewhat bulky, and built in any bush, usually 
from three to four feet above ground. Two eggs is the usual clutch, occasionally 
three. May 3, 1900. Two eggs. June 8, 1900. Two young and one addled 
egg. July 14, 1899. Two eggs. June 21/’01. One egg. Sept. 20-27, ’01. 
Tavo and three eggs incubated. Aug. 11, 1913. Recently fledged young at 
Carnarvon. North-west. Aboriginal name Paddern. 
“ This species is generally distributed through the south-west, but is not 
very abundant around Broome Hull nor in very heavy timber, the birds prefer¬ 
ring more open country. In song and habits they seem the same as the sub¬ 
species further north (Gascoyne and North-Avest Cape). They (subspecies ?) 
are common about Kellerberin. The breeding-season in the south-Avest appears 
to be late. Dec. 11, 1902. Nest with three eggs on Yasse River (Busselton). 
Dee. 16, 1902. Noted a pair of Singing Honey-eaters at Vasse feeding a fledged 
young Pallid Cuckoo. Feb. 17, ’07. Shot recently fledged young at Broome 
Hill. (Note—Broome Hill Singing Honey-eater may be used, but not Broome 
as you have it; Broome is an important town, in the North-west.)” 
Mr. J. P. Rogers sent me his notes, AAriting : “ Both at Mamgle Creek and 
at Mungi, North-Avest Australia, these birds Avere very numerous and they are 
plentiful in most parts of West Kimberley, especially where there is a good supply 
of small figs and berries.” At Melville Island Rogers only met with it in a 
patch of stunted scrub about one mile north of Cooper’s Camp. 
From Derby, North-west Australia, Hall has recorded Rogers’ notes as: 
“ Here this is a very shy bird, flying away rapidly Avhen approached and being 
very difficult to get near. It is generally seen in Ioav scrubby bushes. 
Whitlock s im ply wrote: “A rare bird on the Coongan. Rather more 
common on the plains of the de Grey and in the mangroves at Condon. On 
the de Grey the favourite haunt was the patches of ‘ Avild fig bushes, and 
at Condon the mangroves where the creeks tailed out into the plains. 
VOL. si. 
465 
