PLUMED HONEY-EATER. 
throat pale yellow ; fore-neck, breast, abdomen, and sides of body greyish-white ; 
vent, under tail-coverts, and under wing-coverts pale buff ; under-surface of flight- 
quills hair-brown with pale margins ; lower aspect of tail yellowish bronze-brown. 
Collected at Camarmah, West Australia, in October, 1904. 
Eggs. Two eggs usually form the clutch. A clutch of two eggs taken at Balali Station, 
Morgan, South Australia, on the 31st of July, 1909, is of a beautiful salmon-colour, 
marked at the larger ends with minute spots (forming an irregular zone) of very pale 
reddish-brown. Ovals in shape ; surface of shell smooth and rather glossy. 20 by 
14 rum. 
Nest. A small cup-shaped structure, composed chiefly of dry grasses, etc., and placed in 
a small bush close to the ground. 
Breeding-months. August to end December (January). 
This is apparently one of Gilbert’s discoveries, though his name is not 
mentioned by Gould who wrote: “ All the specimens I have seen were 
collected in the district of York, about 60 miles eastward of Swan River, 
where it inhabits the white-gum forests, resorting to the tops of the highest 
trees, and is seldom to be seen on the ground. Its note is much varied, 
consisting of a loud shrill whistle, somewhat resembling the sportsman’s 
pea-whistle, continued without intermission for a great length of time. 
When disturbed it flits among the branches with a quick darting flight, while 
at other times it soars from tree to tree with the most graceful and easy 
movement. The breeding-season continues from October to January. The 
stomach is diminutive and slightly muscular, the food consisting of insects 
and honey.” 
Captain S. A. White has written me: “ This bird has a great range over 
South Australia, but it is ready a dry-country bird, being most numerous in 
that country which has a light rainfall. I found it abundantly in some of the 
driest districts of the interior.” 
Mr. J. W. Mellor’s notes read: “ These Honey-eaters keep to the high 
ranges rather than the flat country ; I have never seen them m the open 
Mallee country. In the Flinders Ranges between Port Pine and Port Augusta 
I have noted them fairly numerous in the deep ravines where large eucalyptus 
trees grow, and there they suck the honey from the flowers and eat a certain 
amount of insect life. They reminded me of the White-plumed Honey-eater 
in their habits and their mode of flight, and also in then notes. They are 
curious birds, ever on the alert to find out anything new, and ma a 
squeaking note oft repeated, warning other birds of danger about, and wil 
often call their mates and a little posse will congregate to discuss ma 
making a regular chorus of squeaking notes. "While visiting t e n e 
Range in August, 1912, negotiating the Port Germein Pass, I had an opportum y 
of studying their habits. The country is very picturesque, as the stream 
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