THE BIRDS OP AUSTRALIA. 
Barnard reported from Cape York: “ Found only in mangroves. Not 
plentiful.” 
MacgillivTay has recorded: “ This fine large Honey-eater, winch bears 
a superficial resemblance to the Singing Honey-eater, inhabits the mangroves 
at Cape York, where its tuneful voice is frequently heard in the breeding season. 
They' were plentiful during the season 1910-11, but hardly any were present 
in 1911-12. In the latter season, however, they were found to be plentiful 
in the mangroves along the south bank of the Escape River, in the mangroves 
on Bushy Island, near Cairncross Island, where a fully-fledged young one was 
seen on 30th June, 1911, and on the Hannibal Islands. A fresh nest was found 
on the Macarthur Island mangroves and the birds were plentiful on the Bird 
Islands. At Cape Grenville a nest was found in a small mangrove on 5tli July, 
1911, containing two half-fledged young birds, and not far away was a half- 
built nest of the same bird. Later on, on 17th July, a nest with two young 
birds almost ready to leave it was found on the second of the Bird Islands.” 
Campbell and Barnard wrote regarding Cardwell birds: “ This equally 
interesting large and yellowish Ptilotis we found in the mangroves, particularly 
near the mouth of the Meunga Creek. The bird has a loud and rather 
melodious call, and was seen feeding on the flowering mangroves.” 
Macgillivray then added: “ This fine Honey-eater (the Varied Honey- 
eater) is never found out of the mangroves, where it is quite common either 
along the shore or on the islands. When staying at any time at Lloyds’ Island 
we were in the habit of sleeping on one of the cutters, anchored opposite the 
mangroves, in order to escape the attentions of sand-flies and mosquitoes. 
Here it was a great pleasure to wake at dawn and listen to the glorious whistling 
of these birds before the shrieking of the Parrakeets and the ‘ Hoo-hooing ’ 
of the Pigeons began to obscure all other sounds.” 
This bird was described by Gould from the “ North Coast of Australia,” 
and when Witmer Stone examined the Gouldian specimens in Philadelphia 
he recorded that the “ type ” was labelled “ Port Essington, Northern Territory.” 
I therefore accepted that, but soon observed that it must be wrong as no speci¬ 
mens were known from that locality, whereas it was more or less common at 
Cape York, and selected that as the correct type locality. 
Two subspecies are here admitted 
Dorothina versicolor versicolor (Gould). 
Cape York, North Queensland. 
Dorothina versicolor clelandi (Mathews). 
" Differs from M. v. versicolor in being much lighter on the back and 
the black behind the eye not so pronounced.” 
Cairn Cross Island, Barrier Reef. 
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