ENTOMYZA CYANOTIS, Swains. 
Blue-faced Entomyza. 
Gracula cyanotis, Lath, Ind. Orn. Supp., p. xxix.—Shaw, Gen. Zool., vol. vii. p. 474 
Blue-cheeked Honey-sucker, Meliphaga cyanops, Lewin, Birds of New Holl., pl a 
Graculine Honey-eater, Lath. Gen, Hist., vol. iv, p. 166. 
Blue-eared Grakle, Lath. Gen. Syn. Supp., vol. ii, p- 130. 
Turdus cyaneus, Lath. Ind, Orn. Supp., p. xlii. 
Blue-cheeked Thrush, tb. Gen. Syu. Supp., yol, ii, p. 184,—Gen. Hist., yol, y. p- 124. 
Tropidorhynchus cyanotis, Vig. and Horsf. in Linn, Trans., vol. xv. p- 325. 
Eniomyza cyanotis, Swains. Class. of Birds, vol, ii. p. 328.—G. R. Gray, List of Geu. of Birds, p. 16. 
L’ Heoro-taire graculé, Vieill. Ois. Dor., tom. ii. p. 124, pl. 87, young, 
Graculine Creeper, Shaw, Gen. Zool., vol. viii, p. 242, youne. 
Graculine Honey-eater, var. A., Lath, Gen, Hist., yol. iv. p. 166, young, 
Pale-cheeked Honey-eater, Ib., p. 167, young. 
Merops cyanops, Lath. Ind. Orn. Supp., p, xxxiv., youtig. 
Blue-cheeked Bee-ealer, 1b. Gen, Syn. Supp., vol. a. p. 154, young—Shaw, Gen, Zoul., vol. viii. p. 171, young. 
Blue-cheeked Honey-eater, Lath. Gen, Hist., vol. iv. p. 167, young. 
—, yar, A, and B., Ib., p, 168, young. 
White-crowned Honey-eater, Ib., p. 169, young. 
Batikin, Aborigines of the coast of New South Wales. 
Blue-eye of the Colonists. 
. —— 
‘Tuis attractive and beautiful Honey-eater, one of the finest of the Meliphagide, is strictly indigenous to 
New South Wales, where it is abundant and very generally dispersed : I observed it in nearly every part of 
the colony I visited, both in winter and summer. TI also shot a single specimen on the Namoi, but as this 
was almost the only one I saw beyond the mountain ranges, I believe its most natural habitat to” be 
between the great dividing chain of mountains and the sea. In all probability it may be found far to the 
northward on the eastern coast, but it has not yet been observed in South Australia, neither is it an 
inhabitant of Van Diemen’s Land. 
In habits and actions the Blue-faced Honey-eater bears a striking resemblance to the members of the 
wenera Ptilotis aud Hematops ; Vike them, it is found almost exclusively on the Lucalypti, searching among 
the blossoms and smaller leafy branches for its food, which is of a mixed character, consisting partly of 
insects and partly of honey, and probably, judging from others of its family, berries and fruits, but this 
latter supposition I was not able to verify. Mr. Caley states, that he once saw “ several of them. fre. 
quenting a tree, where they were very busy in obtaining something that appeared to have exuded from 
i wounded part. I do not know what the substance could be, otherwise than a kind of gum of a bitter 
As L have never detected them in feeding on this or any similar substance, 1 should 
rather suppose they were in search of the insects that might have been attracted by this exudation. 
ese bold and spirited birds, with numerous other small Honey- 
I have frequently seen eight or ten of th > aa 
caters and Parrakeets, on a single tree, displaying the most elegant and easy movements, clinging and 
hanging in every variety of position, frequently iat the extreme ends of the small, thickly-flowered aeake 
Sinz ; . oes sen? ey vasily distineuished from the other birds 
bending them down with their weight ; they may, however, be casily distinguis! 
the brillianey of their blue face, and the contrasted 
ity with which they chase 
and astringent taste.” 
with which they are in company by their superior size, 
. v » q “ ‘ . u r . 
colours of their plumage; they are rendered equally conspicuous by the pugnac 
and drive about the other species resorting to the same tree, 
It frequently utters a rather loud and monotonous cry, not worthy at © ee ee ce eer 
I observed a most eurious fact respecting the nidification of this bird : im every instance that ? jomue 
oe yest of the Jorhinus, sO mumMerous 1) 
its evs, they were deposited on the deserted, dome-shaped, large nest of the: ve tt oO nul . 
abe } pe ee ey AR in a neat roune 
the Apple-tree Flats in the district of the Upper Hunter; never within the ed ut 4 r: rad iy ’ 
+ Vi : j ‘st, und | can therefore 
depression on the top. I had many opportunities of driving the female off the nest, a 
speak with confidence as to this fact. Whether this bird resorts 
of the nest of the Pomatorhinus, or whether, under other cireun : I for investigating them ; 
are points to which [ would call the attention of those who are favourably situated for thyestigating Tt : 5 
r the history of this species so much the more complete. Tt is 
the name of a song. 
istanees, it constructs a nest for itself, 
and who, by so doing, would rende 
only to places where it may avail itself 
