_J. Gould and H. C. Richter del et lith._ _C. Hullmandel Imp._
]
GLYCIPHILA FULVIFRONS, _Swains._
Fulvous-fronted Honey-eater.
_Meliphaga fulvifrons_, Vig. and Horsf. in Linn. Trans., vol. xv. p.
317.—Lewin, Birds of New Holl., pl. 22.
_Glyciphila fulvifrons_, Swains. Class. of Birds, vol. ii. p. 326.—G.
R. Gray, List of Gen. of Birds, 2nd Edit., p. 319.
_Philedon rubrifrons_, Less. Voy. de la Coq.
_Wy-ro-̏dju-dong_, Aborigines of the lowland districts of Western
Australia.
_White-throated Honey-sucker_, Colonists of Swan River.
This species would appear to be distributed over the whole of the
southern portion of the Australian continent, since it is to be found in
New South Wales, South Australia and at Swan River, where it is
particularly abundant on the limestone hills near the beach around
Fremantle; it is also an inhabitant of Van Diemen’s Land, and all the
islands in Bass’s Straits. I have never observed it in collections from
the northern coast of Australia, whence I infer that it is confined to
those portions of the country mentioned above. In Van Diemen’s Land it
is by far the most abundant on the north side of the island, while in
the neighbourhood of Hobart Town it is rarely, if ever, seen.
Independently of a slight difference in structure, the habits of this
bird differ sufficiently from those of the true _Meliphagi_ to fully
justify its separation into a distinct genus. In the first place it
affects very different localities, preferring to dwell among the trees
that crown the low stony ridges, rather than those growing on the lower
lands or the brushes; its flight is also very rapid, and, which is
rather remarkable for the smaller Honey-eaters, it mounts high in the
air, and flies off to a distance with an extremely rapid horizontal and
even motion. It is an exceedingly active bird among the branches,
clinging about and around the flowers of the _Eucalypti_ in search of
food in every variety of graceful position.
The site generally chosen for its nest, as observed at Swan River, is
some low bush or scrubby plant, in which it is often placed so near the
ground as almost to touch; it is of a deep cup-shaped and compact form,
constructed of dried grasses, and frequently lined with Zamia wool, or
buds of the Banksia cones; sometimes, however, sheep’s wool is employed
to impart warmth and softness; the materials in fact depend entirely
upon the nature of those that the locality may furnish, while in the
form of the nest little or no variation occurs. The eggs are large for
the size of the bird, and are often much lengthened in figure; sometimes
they are quite white without the least trace of spots, but they are
generally blotched with large marks of chestnut-red; occasionally this
colour is very faint, and spread over the surface of the shell as if
stained with it; in other instances the marks are very bold and decided,
forming a strong contrast to the whiteness of the other part of the
surface: the medium length of the eggs is ten lines and a half, and
breadth seven lines; they are usually two in number, but the bird very
frequently lays and hatches only one. The breeding-season lasts from
August to February.
The song is rather remarkable, being commenced with a single note slowly
drawn out, and followed by a quick repetition of a double note, repeated
six or eight times in succession; it is mostly uttered when the bird is
perched on the topmost branch of a tree.
Its food consists of the pollen of flowers and insects.
The sexes present the usual difference in size, the female being
somewhat less than her mate; but in the colour and disposition of the
markings they are alike. The young, of which an accurate figure is given
in the accompanying Plate, has all the upper surface dark brown streaked
with buffy white, and is entirely destitute of the fulvous colouring of
the forehead and the lunulate markings on the sides of the chest; the
throat, moreover, is of a dull wax-yellow, the chest mottled dark brown
and buffy white, and the primaries edged with a dull wax-yellow.
Forehead and under surface of the wing fulvous or tawny; over each eye a
narrow line of white; a line of brownish black commences at the base of
the bill, surrounds the eye, passes down the sides of the neck and
chest, and nearly meets on the breast; behind the ear-coverts a narrow
stripe of buffy white, separated from the line over the eye by a small
patch of black; centre of the back dark brown, with a stripe of ashy
brown down the centre of each feather; the remainder of the upper
surface and flanks ashy brown; throat and abdomen white; wings and tail
dark brown, the wing-coverts and primaries margined with olive; irides
brown; hill blackish brown; legs and feet greenish grey.
The figures are those of a male, a female, and a young bird of the
natural size, on one of the Banksias of Van Diemen’s Land.
[Illustration:
GLYCIPHILA ALBIFRONS: _Gould_.
_J. Gould and H. C. Richter del et lith._ _C. Hullmandel Imp._
]
GLYCIPHILA ALBIFRONS, _Gould_.
White-fronted Honey-eater.
_Glyciphila albifrons_, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Part VIII. p.
160.
_Goȍl-be-g̏ool-burn_, Aborigines of the mountain districts of Western
Australia.
_Black-throated Honey-sucker_, Colonists of Swan River.
I first observed this fine new species of _Glyciphila_ in the great
Murray scrub of South Australia, where I succeeded in killing several
specimens of both sexes; it is also an inhabitant of the York and other
inland districts of Western Australia, and Captain Sturt obtained an
example during one of his overland journeys from Sydney to Adelaide: we
may consequently infer that, like many others, it is a species peculiar
to the interior, where it probably supplies the place of the
Fulvous-fronted Honey-eater, so abundantly dispersed along the line of
coast.
In its disposition the present bird is remarkably shy, a trait common,
it would seem, to all the members of the genus. All those I observed
were busily engaged in collecting their insect and saccharine food from
the flowers of a species of dwarf _Eucalyptus_, during which their
actions much resembled those of the restricted genus _Meliphaga_; but
they appeared if possible to hang and cling beneath the branches with
even greater facility.
Its flight much resembles that of its near ally, being short, performed
in sudden starts, and all times unsteady.
Its note is a double one, rapidly repeated, and much resembles the
double call of the _Pardalotus striatus_, but is much louder and more
distinct.
The breeding-season lasts from August to February. The nests observed
were constructed in the fork of a small dead branch in an exposed
situation, and without the slightest shelter; they were very similar to
that of _Meliphaga longirostris_, but more shallow and less neatly
formed. The eggs also closely resembled those of that bird; the ground
colour being delicate buff, clouded with reddish buff at the larger end,
and distinctly spotted with chestnut-red and purplish grey, thickly
disposed at the larger end, but very sparingly over the rest of the
surface; the eggs are nine and a half lines long by seven lines broad.
The sexes present no difference in colour or markings, but as usual the
female is much less in size.
Forehead, lores, a narrow ring round the eye, and a narrow line running
from the angle of the lower mandible white; crown of the head black,
each feather slightly margined with white; ear-coverts silvery blackish
grey, behind which an irregular line of white; all the upper surface
brown, irregularly margined with white, producing a mottled appearance;
wings and tail brown, the primaries margined externally with yellowish
green; chin and throat brownish black, the former minutely speckled with
white; under surface of the wing buff; chest and abdomen white, striped
with blackish brown on the flanks; irides dark brown; naked skin round
the eyes dark brownish black in front, arterial blood-red behind; bill
black; legs and feet greenish grey.
The figures are of the natural size.
[Illustration:
GLYCIPHILA FASCIATA: _Gould_.
_J. Gould and H. C. Richter del et lith._ _C. Hullmandel Imp._
]
GLYCIPHILA FASCIATA, _Gould_.
Fasciated Honey-eater.
_Glyciphila fasciata_, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., October 11, 1842.
All the specimens hitherto collected of this new species have been
obtained from the Cobourg Peninsula, in the neighbourhood of Port
Essington, where, according to Mr. Gilbert, it is far from being common,
for in his notes he says, “I only once observed it near the settlement,
and once again met with it on the neck of the peninsula near the main
land. Its favourite haunts appeared to be the upper branches of the
_Melaleucæ_, from the blossoms of which it collects its food. In both
instances I observed small families of about twelve in number. Its note
is a sharp shrill piping call, very rapidly repeated.”
The fasciated markings of the under surface, by which this species is at
once distinguished from every other member of the genus to which it is
at present assigned, and the circumstance of its moving about in small
parties, would seem to indicate the propriety of its separation; as,
however, it is precisely of the same structure, and agrees with them in
the colouring of the upper surface, I have preferred retaining it in the
present genus.
Its food consists of insects generally, the pollen, and occasionally the
buds of flowers.
Crown of the head brownish black, with a small crescent of white at the
extremity of each feather; feathers of the back very dark brown,
margined with buffy brown; rump tinged with rufous; wings and tail dark
brown, fringed with light brown; sides of the face, throat and under
surface white; from the angle of the mouth down the side of the neck a
narrow stripe of brownish black; chest crossed by a number of
semicircular brownish black fasciæ; flanks and under tail-coverts buff,
the former with a stripe of brownish black down the centre; irides
reddish brown; bill greenish grey; feet aurora-red.
The figures are those of a male and a female of the natural size.
[Illustration:
GLYCIPHILA OCULARIS: _Gould_.
_J. Gould and H. C. Richter del et lith._ _Hullmandel & Walton Imp._
]
GLYCIPHILA OCULARIS, _Gould_.
Brown Honey-eater.
_Glyciphila? ocularis_, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Part V. p. 154;
and in Syn. Birds of Australia, Part IV.
——? _subocularis_, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Part V. p. 154; and
in Syn. Birds of Australia, Part IV., female or young male.
_Jȉn-jo-gour_, Aborigines of the mountain districts of Western
Australia.
_Brown Honey-sucker_ of the Colonists.
Not one of the numerous species of Honey-eaters inhabiting Australia
appears to enjoy a more universal range than the _Glyciphila ocularis_;
I have received specimens from every portion of the country yet visited;
and if it does not also inhabit New Guinea and Timor, its place is there
supplied by species so very nearly allied to it, that they are not
readily distinguishable from each other.
It inhabits every variety of situation: I met with it in abundance on
Baker’s Island at the mouth of the Hunter, and on the banks of the Namoi
in the interior of New South Wales; and Mr. Gilbert records that he
found it to be equally numerous at Swan River and at Port Essington: in
each and all of these various localities it was observed feeding alike
on the topmost branches of the tallest gums, as well as in the low
trees.
In its actions and manners it displays the usual activity of the
Honey-eaters generally, creeping and clinging among the branches with
the greatest ease, and particularly affecting those most laden with
blossoms, into which it inserts its brush-like tongue to procure the
sweet pollen: like the other species of the group, it also feeds with
avidity upon all kinds of small insects.
Its powers of song are very great, the most frequently repeated note
being remarkably shrill, rich, clear and distinct in tone, and the
others forming an agreeable melody. While the female is sitting upon her
eggs, the male sings all day long with scarcely any intermission.
Its flight merely consists of short flits from tree to tree.
The situations chosen for the site of the nest are various, but in
nearly every instance contiguous to water and frequently overhanging it;
the most favourite position appears to be the side of a tea-tree, the
bark of which is hanging down in tatters; it is also often seen
suspended in the most conspicuous manner from the drooping branches of
the stink-wood; and in one instance Mr. Gilbert found it attached to two
slender fibrous roots, hanging from beneath a bank over a pool of water.
The nest is generally formed of soft strips of paper bark or dried
grasses, matted together with small spiders’ cocoons or vegetable
fibres, and so closely resembles the branch upon which it is placed, as
to render it very difficult of detection; it is usually lined with fine
grasses, zamia wool, the soft part of the cones of the _Banksiæ_,
delicate white buds of flowers, or sheep’s wool collected from the
bushes of the sheep-runs.
September, October and November constitute the breeding-season. The
eggs, which are two in number, vary considerably in their colouring,
some being pure white without a trace of spots or markings, others
having a zone round the larger end formed of freckled markings of light
reddish brown; others again are thinly sprinkled with this colour over
the whole of their surface, and one or two procured at Swan River were
bespeckled with numerous fine freckles of bluish grey; the average
length of a number of eggs was eight lines by six lines in breadth.
Crown of the head, all the upper surface, wings and tail dark
olive-brown, passing into yellowish brown on the rump and bases of the
tail-feathers; primaries and secondaries margined with wax-yellow;
immediately behind the eye a very small patch of glossy brownish yellow
feathers, the anterior portion of which is silvery; throat and chest
greyish brown; abdomen and under tail-coverts olive-grey; irides light
red; bill dark brown; legs and feet bluish grey; tarsi tinged with
green.
The Plate represents a male and a female of the natural size.
[Illustration: