CERTHIONYX. 
211 
unfortunately, as in most bird’s eggs, the bloom goes off, and the 
bright tint soon fades. From my note book, I find that when 
first taken from the nest they are of a deep saturnine buff, spotted 
with irregular markings of a deeper hue in some, evenly distributed 
over their surface, in others, or crowded at the larger end; 
there are also a few indistinct dots of greyish lilac dispersed over 
the surface ; but these lilac dots are not visible in all specimens. 
I have one however, in which greyish-lilac spots predominate. 
This species of Honey-eater was one of the first known, and was 
described under various names, and placed in several genera by as 
many different authors ; but as its habits and economy became 
more perfectly understood, and ornithologists began to classify 
their birds more from their habits, &c., this species was finally 
placed among the Honey-eaters, and a new genus formed for its 
reception.” (Ramsay, Proc. Phil. Soc., Sydney, 1865, p. 319 
pi. i., fig. 3.) 
A set taken at Dobroyde on the 1st of October 1865, measures 
as follows:—length (A) 095 x 072 inch ; (B) 0 - 97 x071 inch. 
This is a very common species in the neighbourhood of 
Wellington, New South Wales. 
Hah. Rockingham Bay, Wide Bay District, Richmond and 
Clarence Rivers Districts, New South Wales, Interior, Victoria 
and South Australia. (Ramsay.) 
Genus CERTHIONYX, Lesson. 
CERTHIONYX LEUCOMELAS, Cuvier. 
(Melicopliila picaia, Gould.) 
Pied Honey-eater. 
Gould, Ilandbk. Bds. Aust., Vol. i., sp. 325, p. 529. 
“ Mr. K. II. Bennett informs me that this species constructs a 
nest very similar to that of Meliphaga phrygia, but of much finer 
materials, and resembles that of a Rliipidura; it is placed on a 
horizontal branch, and is cup-shaped, composed of strips of fine 
