BIRDS OF THE BLOSSOMS AND OUTER FOLIAGE 
105 
Eggs. —Two or three, pale buff, marked, chiefly at the larger end, 
with spots of chestnut and dull purplish-grey. Breeding-season: August 
to December. 
15. Western Spinebill Acanthorhynchns superciliosus Gould 
su-per-cU-i-ds -us — L., superciliosus , browed. 
Distribution . — South-western Australia, from Perth to the Stirling 
Ranges. 
Notes. —Also called White-browed Spinebill. Usually in pairs, fre¬ 
quenting banksia and tea-tree country; in habits it is similar to the East¬ 
ern Spinebill. Food: insects and nectar. 
Nest. — Like that of the Eastern Spinebill, but slightly smaller. 
Eggs. — Two usually, pale pinkish-white, marked, chiefly at the larger 
end, with spots of chestnut and dull purplish-grey. Breeding-season : Aug¬ 
ust to December. 
16. White-naped Honey-eater Melithreptus liinatus Vieillot 
MeUi-threp'-tus —Gk, meli, honey; Gk, threptos , nourished : lu-na-tus — L., 
lunatus , moon-shaped = markings. 
Distribution. —Queensland to Victoria to Western Australia, and the 
Kent Group (Bass Strait). 
Notes. — Also called Lunulated Honey-eater and Blackcap. Usually 
in small flocks; a common bird throughout the coastal districts, timbered 
mountain ranges, and open forest country inland; it is also numerous in 
gardens and is tame and fearless; seen chiefly among the flowering euca- 
lypt trees, seeking insects, pollen, and nectar. Call-note, a single piping 
whistle, uttered frequently. 
Nest. —A small, cup-shaped structure, composed of strips of bark 
matted together with cobwebs and spiders' egg-bags ; lined with grass, 
rootlets, soft bark, and occasionally fur. Suspended from a drooping 
branch of a tree at a considerable height from the ground. 
Eggs. — Two or three, pale buff, finely spotted and freckled, chiefly at 
the larger end, with reddish-brown and pale purplisli-grey markings. 
Breeding-season: July to November. 
17. White-throated Honey-eater Melithreptus albogularis Gould 
al-bo-gu-lar'-is —L., albus , white ; L., gularis, throated. 
Distribution. —Northern Australia and north-eastern Queensland; 
also occurs in south-eastern New Guinea. 
Notes. —Also called White-chinned Honey-eater. Similar in habits to 
the White-naped Honey-eater. 
Nest. —Closely resembles that of the White-naped Honey-eater. 
Eggs. —Usually two, pale salmon-pink, spotted and speckled with red¬ 
dish-brown markings, chiefly at the larger end. Breeding-season . July to 
January. 
