THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
grass-trees and perch on the tall slender flower spikes, which grow to the 
height of eight or ten feet out of the top of the tree itself ; they suck the honey 
from these flowers, also catch the insects that are attracted by the sweet 
nectar of the flowers, while the bloom of the stunted eucalypts growing in 
this kind of country is also frequented.” 
Mr. A. G. Campbell has written: “ On Kangaroo Island is common in 
the moorland and heather country, but not in heavy timber. In North¬ 
western Victoria it is not uncommon through the mallee adjacent to the South 
Australian border. It is mainly a South Australian form.” 
Mr. F. E. Howe also wrote me: “ During October 1909 we were fortunate 
enough to find four nests of this elegant and rare Honey-eater. They were 
often noticed in pahs far apart as we drove along the track from Pinnaroo 
to Kow Plains, and were always noticed by seeing them suddenly dart, up 
from the scrub on to a dead stick of the mallee and as suddenly dart away 
again. However, at No. 8 bore a fair number were congregated and were 
nesting in a certain scrubby bush that grows to a height of six or eight feet 
and to which they seem very partial. Three nests contained young just 
hatched and the other held a pah' of hard sat eggs. The young, which were 
about two or three days old, were blind and covered Avith fight brown 
down; the gape and the mouth were both yellow. I think tins bird is about 
the most agile of the group.” 
Chandler, reporting upon the bird fife of the Kow Plains, Victoria, noted: 
“ The favourite haunt of tins species is among a species of dwarf acacia. All 
the nests which we found Avere situated in tins acacia. P. cratitia is a noisy 
bird. It constantly utters a chattering call. About 200 yards from camp 
the birds were exceedingly numerous in the blossoming mallee.” 
Mr. Edwin Ashby sent me some comments upon my 1913 “ List ” of 
some value, thus : “ The mallee country of Victoria and the mallee country of 
Avhat used to be called the 90-mile desert is all one belt of country. There is 
not likely to be more than one subspecies inhabiting it. On the other hand, 
the mallee of Eyre’s Peninsula extends right through into West Australia. 
Therefore, for purposes of locality I should dmde South Australia into two 
portions, the Murray valley and all east of it being combined Avith the mallee 
district of Victoria. I t hink jmu Avill find tins correct.” 
Mr. Tom Carter has AAritten me: “ According to your ‘ Reference list,’ 
1912, the type of tins subspecies ( occiclentalis Cabanis) was obtained at Albany, 
W.A. I have, in the course of many visits to that to\m, systematically 
walked over the whole surrounding country within a radius of seven miles 
or more and have never seen or heard a single specimen of this bird. The 
nearest country that seems suitable for it is the edge of the great sand-plain 
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