_J. Gould and H. C. Richter del et lith._ _C. Hullmandel Imp._
]
MYZOMELA SANGUINOLENTA.
Sanguineous Honey-eater.
_Certhia sanguinolenta_, Lath. Ind. Orn. Supp., p. xxxvii.
_L’Heorotaire sanguin_, Vieill. Ois. Dor., tom. ii. p. 127.
_Sanguineous Creeper_, Lath. Gen. Syn. Supp., vol. ii. p. 167. pl.
130.—Shaw, Gen. Zool., vol. viii. p. 235.
_Sanguineous Honey-eater_, Lath. Gen. Hist., vol iv. p. 201. pl. 73.
_Certhia dibapha_, Lath. Ind. Orn. Supp., p. xxxvii.
_L’Heorotaire rouge tacheté_, Vieill. Ois. Dor., tom. ii. p. 127.
_Small-crested Creeper_, Shaw, Gen. Zool., vol. viii. p. 253. pl. 35?
_Cochineal Creeper_, Lath. Gen. Syn. Supp., vol. ii. p. 167.
_Cochineal Honey-eater_, Lath. Gen. Hist., vol. iv. p. 201.
_Certhia erythropygia_, Lath. Ind. Orn. Supp., p. 38.
_Red-rumped Creeper_, Lath. Gen. Syn. Supp., vol. ii. p. 169.—Shaw,
Gen. Zool. vol. viii. p. 249.
_Le Kuyameta_, Vieill. Ois. Dor., tom. ii. p. 92. pl. 58.
_Certhia Australasiæ_, Leach, Zool. Misc., vol. i. pl. 11.
_Meliphaga Cardinalis_, Vig. and Horsf. in Linn. Trans., vol. xv. p.
316.
_Blood-bird_ of the Colonists of New South Wales.
This beautiful little bird is an inhabitant of the thick brushes of New
South Wales, particularly those near the coast and those clothing the
hilly portions of the interior, and I have reason to believe that it is
rarely, if ever, found among the trees of the open parts of the country.
I have not yet seen specimens from the western, and only a single
example from the northern coasts, whence I infer that the south-eastern
part of the continent is its natural and restricted habitat. It gives a
decided preference to those parts of the forest that abound with
flowering plants, whose fragrant blossoms attract large numbers of
insects of various kinds, upon which and the pollen of the flower-cups
it chiefly subsists.
I regret to say that I was unable to obtain any information respecting
the nidification of this pretty species; but in this respect it
doubtless closely resembles the other members of the group.
The sexes are very dissimilar in colour, the female being of a uniform
pale brown above and lighter beneath, while the male is dressed in a
gorgeous livery of scarlet and black; the young, as is usually the case
where the sexes differ considerably in colour, resembles the female
until after the first moult, when it gradually assumes the colouring of
the male.
Much confusion exists in the writings of the older authors respecting
this bird, which has arisen from the circumstance of their having
considered it to be identical with two other species, one inhabiting the
Isle of Tanna, and the other the province of Bengal: after a careful
examination of the subject, I am of opinion that the synonyms given
above are all that have reference to the Australian bird.
The male has the head, neck, breast, back and upper tail-coverts rich
shining scarlet; lores, wings and tail black, the wing-coverts margined
with huffy white, and the primaries with greyish olive; under surface of
the wing white; abdomen and under tail-coverts buff; bill and feet
black; irides dark brown.
The female is uniform light brown above, becoming much lighter beneath.
The figures are those of the two sexes and of the natural size.
[Illustration:
MYZOMELA ERYTHROCEPHALA: _Gould_.
_J. Gould and H. C. Richter del et lith._ _C. Hullmandel Imp._
]
MYZOMELA ERYTHROCEPHALA, _Gould_.
Red-headed Honey-eater.
_Myzomela erythrocephala_, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Part VII. p.
144.
The Red-headed Honey-eater is so distinctly marked as almost to preclude
the possibility of its being confounded with any known species of the
genus. In size it rather exceeds the common Sanguineous Honey-eater, but
is far more diminutive than the species described by Latham as
inhabiting the Isle of Tanna, under the name of _Certhia Cardinalis_.
The northern portion of Australia would appear to be the true habitat of
the bird here represented, all the specimens that have come under my
notice having been procured at Port Essington, where it is exclusively
confined to the extensive beds of mangroves bordering the inlets of the
sea. From the flowers of these trees it collects its favourite food,
which, like that of the other species of the group, consists of insects
and honey. It is a most active little creature, flitting from one
cluster of flowers to another, and from branch to branch with the
greatest rapidity, uttering at the same time its rather sharp and harsh
chirrup. Mr. Gilbert states that it is far from being abundant, and is
so seldom seen near the settlement that no examples had been procured
prior to his visit.
The sexes present the usual difference in the smaller size and sombre
colouring of the female.
No information whatever was acquired respecting its nidification, nor
whether it be migratory or not.
The male has the head and rump scarlet, the remainder of the plumage
deep chocolate-brown; irides reddish brown; bill olive-brown, becoming
much lighter on the lower mandible; legs and feet olive-grey.
The female is uniform brown above, lighter beneath.
The Plate represents two males and a female of the natural size.
[Illustration:
MYZOMELA PECTORALIS: _Gould_.
_J. Gould and H. C. Richter del et lith._ _C. Hullmandel Imp._
]
MYZOMELA PECTORALIS, _Gould_.
Banded Honey-eater.
_Myzomela pectoralis_, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Part VIII. p.
170.
It will be seen from the number of novelties received from that
territory, that the northern coast of Australia possesses a fauna almost
peculiar to itself, few species, of the smaller birds at least, being
similar to those of the southern coast.
The present interesting bird was forwarded to me by Mr. Bynoe as having
been shot by him on the north coast, but I regret to say it was
unaccompanied by any information whatever respecting its habits. In its
structure it offers so close an alliance to the typical Myzomelæ that I
have provisionally placed it in that group.
Some of the specimens sent me had the centre of the back of a
ferruginous hue, while in others the same part was jet-black; I am
inclined to regard the former to be the plumage of the young birds of
the year, and it is just possible it may also be characteristic of the
adult female.
Forehead, crown of the head, upper surface, wings, tail and a narrow
band across the chest black; throat, upper tail-coverts and all the
under surface white; bill and feet black.
The birds are all figured of the natural size on one of the interesting
plants from the same locality.
[Illustration:
MYZOMELA NIGRA; (_Gould_).
_Drawn from Nature & on Stone by J. & E. Gould._ _Printed by C.
Hullmandel._
]
MYZOMELA NIGRA, _Gould_.
Black Honey-eater.
_Myzomela nigra_, Gould in Birds of Australia, Part II. cancelled.
_Dwer-da-ngok-ngun-nin_, Aborigines of the mountain districts of
Western Australia.
This most active little bird is peculiar to the interior of Australia,
over which it has an extensive range. Mr. Gilbert found it in Western
Australia, and I myself met with it on the plains near the Namoi; with
me it was always on the Myalls (_Acacia pendula_),while in Western
Australia, where it is very local, it generally evinced a preference for
the sapling gums. Although it has the feathered tongue and sometimes
partakes of the sweets of the flowers, it feeds almost exclusively on
insects, which it procures both on the blossoms and among the
thickly-foliaged branches. The male possesses a feeble plaintive note,
which he frequently pours forth while perched upon some elevated dead
branch, where he sits with his neck stretching out and without any
apparent motion, except the swelling out of the throat and the movement
of the bill. Its flight is remarkably quick, and performed with sudden
zigzag starts.
The female differs remarkably from the male in the colouring of the
plumage, and, as is the case with many other birds, is much more
difficult of access than her mate, who is always more animated, and
frequently betrays his presence by his voice or song.
Mr. Gilbert was more fortunate than myself in finding the nest of this
little bird, and has furnished the following notes respecting its
incubation:—
“This species constructs a neat cup-shaped nest, formed of dried
grasses. I found two, both of which were built in the most conspicuous
situations; one in a fork at the top of a small scrubby bush,
unsheltered by even a bough or a leaf; the other was on the dead branch
of a fallen tree, in a similar exposed situation, and quite unprotected
from wet or heat. It breeds during the months of October and November,
and lays two eggs,” which are of a light brownish buff, encircled at the
centre with a band of brown, produced by numerous small blotches of that
colour, which appear as if beneath the surface of the shell; they are
seven lines long by five and a half lines broad.
The male has the head, throat, stripe down the centre of the abdomen,
all the upper surface, wings and tail sooty black; the remainder of the
plumage pure white; irides blackish brown; bill and feet black.
The female differs in having the head, all the upper surface, wings and
tail brown; throat and all the under surface brownish white, the centre
of each feather being the darkest; bill brown; legs brownish black.
The Plate represents the two sexes of the natural size.
[Illustration:
MYZOMELA OBSCURA: _Gould_.
_J. Gould and H. C. Richter del et lith._ _Hullmandel & Walton Imp._
]
MYZOMELA OBSCURA, _Gould_.
Obscure Honey-eater.
_Myzomela obscura_, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Part X. p. 136.
This species is a native of the northern parts of Australia. At Port
Essington, where my specimens were procured, it is only to be met with
in quiet, secluded and thickly-wooded districts adjacent to small
streams of water; its favourite tree appears to be the _Grevillia_, from
the blossoms of which it obtains great quantities of honey and insects.
The shy and retiring disposition of this species renders the acquisition
of specimens very difficult: “at no time during my stay,” remarks Mr.
Gilbert, “did I succeed in getting sight of more than a solitary
individual, and I believe it to be a rare bird in all parts of the
Cobourg Peninsula.”
This bird differs so much in colour from all the other species yet
discovered, that it is readily distinguished from all of them.
The sexes present no external marks of distinction, except that the
female is somewhat smaller than her mate.
The whole of the plumage is dull brown, with a vinous tinge on the head;
under surface paler than the upper; irides bright red; bill dark
greenish black; feet dark bluish grey; tarsi tinged with yellow.
The figures are of the natural size.
[Illustration: