_J. Gould and H. C. Richter del et lith._ _Hullmandel & Walton Imp._
]
PTILOTIS CHRYSOPS.
Yellow-faced Honey-eater.
_Sylvia chrysops_, Lath. Ind. Orn. Supp., p. liv.—Bonn. et Vieill.
Ency. Méth. Orn., part ii. p. 455.
_Black-cheeked Honey-eater_, Lath. Gen. Syn. Supp., vol. ii. p.
248.—Id. Gen. Hist., vol. iv. p. 196.
_Meliphaga chrysops_, Vig. and Horsf. in Linn. Trans., vol. xv. p.
315.—Jard. and Selb. Ill. Orn., vol. i. pl. xxxv. fig.
1.—Less. Man. d’Orn., tom. ii. p. 73.
_Yellow-eared Flycatcher_, White’s Voy., pl. in p. 161?
The _Ptilotis chrysops_ may be regarded as one of the commonest species
of Honey-eaters inhabiting the colonies of New South Wales and South
Australia; its distribution over those countries, particularly the
former, being almost universal. On reference to my journal I find that
it was equally abundant in the gardens of Sydney, in the brushes near
the coast, in the district of the Upper Hunter and on the Liverpool
range; and that in South Australia it was quite as numerous in the
mangrove thickets on the coast, as in the interior of the country. No
instance is on record of its occurrence in Van Diemen’s Land, nor can
the colonies of Swan River on the western, or Port Essington on the
northern coast of Australia, claim a place for it in their faunas; its
range, in fact, appearing to be confined to the south-eastern part of
the country. It is very animated and sprightly in its actions, and
during the months of spring and summer is constantly engaged in singing;
its melodious song, which much resembles, but is not so loud as that of
the Song Thrush of Europe, being poured forth while the bird is perched
on the topmost branches of the trees.
A nest found near the Liverpool range in October was very neatly
constructed, rather small in size, round, and open in form, and so thin
that I could see through it; it was suspended to the fine twigs of a
_Casuarina_ at some height from the ground, while another suspended to
the lower branches of a sapling gum was within reach of the hand. They
were outwardly composed of the inner bark of trees, moss, etc., lined
with fine vegetable fibres and grasses. The eggs, which are two and
sometimes three in number, are of a lengthened form, and of a deep
reddish buff, strongly marked at the larger end with deep chestnut-red
and purplish grey; the remainder of the surface ornamented with large
spots and blotches of the same colour, somewhat thinly dispersed; their
medium length is ten lines and a half by seven lines in breadth.
The sexes are so much alike that no visible difference is perceptible,
except in the smaller size of the female.
Crown of the head, back of the neck, all the upper surface, wings and
tail dark brown with a slight tinge of olive; throat and under surface
dark greyish brown, the latter colour predominating on the chest; a fine
line of black runs from the nostrils through the eye; this black line is
bounded below by a stripe of yellow which runs under the eye and over
the ear-coverts, and below this runs another parallel line of black,
which commences at the base of the lower mandible and extends beyond the
line of the ear-coverts; immediately above the eye behind is a small
spot of yellow, and behind the ear-coverts a like spot of white; bill
blackish brown; irides and eyelash dark brown; legs leaden brown.
The Plate represents the two sexes of the natural size.
[Illustration:
PTILOTIS UNICOLOR: _Gould_.
_J. Gould and H. C. Richter del et lith._ _Hullmandel & Walton Imp._
]
PTILOTIS UNICOLOR, _Gould_.
Uniform Honey-eater.
_Ptilotis unicolor_, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Part X. p. 136.
Although I have placed this species in the genus _Ptilotis_, it is more
than probable that it will hereafter be found necessary to constitute it
the type of a distinct form, as on a careful comparison it will be seen
that it differs from the true _Ptiloti_ in some parts of its structure
and in the uniform colouring of its plumage; besides which, its habits
and manners are also somewhat different. It is one of the many species
that rewarded Mr. Gilbert’s researches at Port Essington; where he
states it was seldom met with in the immediate vicinity of the harbour,
but that it gradually increased in number as he approached the narrow
neck of the peninsula and the mainland about Mountnorris Bay. The
situations in which it was usually observed were those adjacent to
swampy thickets, and here it was generally seen in pairs: it appears to
be of a most lively disposition, being always in motion; its actions
much resemble those of the _Tropidorhynchus argenticeps_, with which
bird it often fights severe battles. When among the trees its movements
are very amusing, and its agility in running upon and creeping round the
branches in search of insects is fully equal to that of the _Sittellæ_.
Its flight is very short, feeble and peculiar, rarely extending to a
greater distance than from branch to branch or from tree to tree, and is
performed with a very rapid motion of the wings; the tail being at the
same time much retroverted over the back, gives the bird a most
ludicrous appearance. It emits a great variety of notes and calls;
frequently giving utterance to a loud chattering cry much resembling
that of the _Myzanthæ_, but more often a note so similar to the
well-known chirrup of the common English Sparrow, that it might be
easily mistaken for the note of that bird.
The stomach is diminutive but muscular, and the food consists of honey,
insects of various kinds, seeds and berries.
Lores and orbits deep brown; all the plumage brownish olive; the under
surface paler than the upper; primaries margined with brighter olive
than the other parts of the body; under surface of the shoulder pale
buff; irides obscure red; bill dark olive-brown; naked gape fleshy
white, passing into yellow at the corner of the mouth; legs and feet
light ash-grey.
The Plate represents the bird of the natural size.
[Illustration:
PLECTORHYNCHA LANCEOLATA: _Gould_.
_J. & E. Gould del et lith._ _C. Hullmandel Imp._
]
PLECTORHYNCHA LANCEOLATA, _Gould_.
Lanceolate Honey-eater.
_Plectorhyncha lanceolata_, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Part V. p.
153; and in Syn. of Birds of Australia, Part IV.
The Liverpool Plains and the country immediately to the northward
thereof are, I believe, the only portions of the Australian continent in
which this bird has been seen. I found it rather sparingly dispersed
over the forests bordering the rivers Mokai and Namoi, and it appeared
to increase in number as I descended the latter stream towards the
interior. It was generally observed alone, or in pairs, keeping almost
exclusively to the _Acaciæ_ and _Eucalypti_. Its chief food is the
pollen of flowers and insects, for the procuring of which among the
blossoms, and for constructing its beautiful nest, its pointed
spine-like bill is admirably adapted. I find it stated in my notes taken
on the spot, that this bird possesses the peculiar habit of sitting
motionless among the thickest foliage of the topmost branches of the
highest trees, where it cannot be seen without the closest observation,
although its immediate locality is indicated by its powerful whistling
note; I have also heard these notes uttered by the bird while on the
wing. Upon one occasion only did I discover its nest, which was
suspended from the extreme tip of a branch of a _Casuarina_ overhanging
the stream, and in which the female was sitting, as represented in the
Plate. The nest is outwardly composed of grasses, interwoven with wool
and the cotton-like texture of flowers. The eggs are two in number,
rather lengthened in shape, being eleven and a half lines long by eight
lines broad; they are of a flesh-white, very minutely sprinkled with
reddish buff, forming an indistinct zone at the larger end. So closely
do the sexes resemble each other in colour, that dissection alone will
enable us to distinguish them; the male, however, rather exceeds the
female in size.
The young, of which I killed several specimens in the month of January,
had even at that early age assumed the general markings of the adult;
and from the circumstance of there being fully-fledged young and eggs at
the same time, proves that these birds rear at least two broods in the
season.
Crown of the head, ear-coverts, and back of the neck mottled with black
and white, a longitudinal mark of black running down the centre of each
feather; throat and under surface greyish white, the stem of each
feather, which ends lanceolate, pure white; back, wings and tail light
brown; irides brown; bill dark bluish horn-colour; legs and feet light
blue.
The figures are those of a male and a female, and a nest, of the natural
size.
[Illustration: