THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
Gould wrote: “ Enjoys a wide range of habitat extending as it does over 
the whole of the southern portion of the continent, the bird being equally as 
abundant in Southern and Western Austraha as in New South Wales; how 
far it may proceed to the northv/ard has not yet been ascertained; it does not 
inhabit Tasmania. I observed it to be very numerous in all the high gum- 
trees around Adelaide, in most parts of the interior, and in all the Angophora 
fiats and forests of Eucalypti of Ne-w South Wales. It is a showy, active bird, 
constantly engaged in fiying from tree to tree and searcliing among the flowers 
for its food, which consists of honey, insects, and occasionally berries. In 
disposition it is generally shy and wary, but at times is confident and bold; 
it is usually seen in pairs, and the males are very pugnacious. Its habits and 
maimers, in fact, closely resemble those of the A. inauris, and, like that bird, 
it utters with distended tliroat a harsh, disagreeable note. It breeds in 
September and October.” 
IMr. Thos. P. Austin has written me from Cobbora, New South Wales: 
“ Some years towards the end of the \vinter, more especially if the native apple 
trees are in bloom, this species arrives in thousands, and the effect of then.’ 
curious notes uttered by so many birds is most extraordinary, especially to 
anyone unaquainted with them. Most years there are just a few of them 
scattered about, but other years not a bird is to be seen. In some districts I 
know they are a great nuisance in orchards and vineyards, but here I have never 
seen one in my garden, although often plentiful m the eucalyptus trees just 
outside the fence. They are rather shy, seldom allowing of a close approach. 
They sometimes breed very early, as I have seen young birds just out of the 
nest early in September, and I have taken their eggs from August 22nd up till 
October 19th. Two eggs usually form the clutch, only twice have I found three.” 
Captain S. A. White has written me : “ This is a widely distributed bird, 
but is becoming scarcer each year as they have been shot down in great numbers 
in the past owing to their being good eating and being troublesome at times m 
the orchards. From t-wenty to thirty years ago these birds appeared with 
us in the autumn on the Adelaide Plains in great numbers and their harsh 
note could be heard everywhere, but now an odd one or two puts in an appearance 
and that is all. I have never seen this bird m the ulterior. Then’ food consists 
chiefly of insects with fruit bei'ries and nectar from many blossoms. They 
breed in August, September and October ; the nest is a loose open structure 
composed of twigs and rootlets, two eggs forming a clutch. The nest is sometimes 
placed low down in a bush banksia, at others liigh up in a tree. Their note is a 
very harsh and loud one, at times almost a bark; their flight short, clumsy and 
erratic. I have seen them spending much time chasing small buds m and out 
the branches in their efforts to keep them away from a gum tree in blossom.” 
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