_J. Gould and H. C. Richter del et lith._ _Hullmandel & Walton Imp._
]
MELITHREPTUS LUNULATUS.
Lunulated Honey-eater.
_Certhia lunulata_, Shaw, Gen. Zool., vol. viii. p. 224.
_Le Fuscalbin_, Vieill. Ois. dor., tom. ii. p. 95. pl. 61.
_Red-eyed Honey-eater_, Lath. Gen. Hist., vol. iv. p. 203. no. 65.
_Meliphaga lunulata_, Vig. & Horsf. in Linn. Trans., vol. xv. p.
315.—Jard. & Selb. Ill. Orn., vol. iii. pl. 134. fig. 2.
_Black-crowned Honey-sucker_, Lewin, Birds of New Holl., pl. 24.
_Meliphaga atricapilla_, Temm. Pl. Col. 335. fig. 1.
—— _torquata_, Swains. Zool. Ill., 1st Ser., pl. 116.
_Hæmatops lunulatus_, Gould in Syn. Birds of Australia, Part I.
_Gymnophrys torquatus_, Swains. Class. of Birds, vol. ii. p. 327.
_Melithreptus lunulatus_, G. R. Gray, List of Gen. of Birds, 2nd
edit., p. 21.
The Lunulated Honey-eater is very abundantly dispersed over the colonies
of New South Wales and South Australia, where it inhabits almost every
variety of situation, but gives a decided preference to the _Eucalypti_
and _Angophoræ_ trees, among the smaller branches of which it may be
constantly seen actively engaged in searching for insects, which with
the pollen of the flowers constitute its sole food. It is a stationary
species, and breeds during the months of August and September; its
beautiful, round, cup-shaped open nest is composed of the inner rind of
the stringy hark or other allied gum-trees intermingled with wool and
hair, warmly lined with opossums’ fur, and is suspended by the rim to
the small leafy twigs of the topmost branches of the _Eucalypti_. The
eggs are two or three in number, of a pale buff, dotted all over, but
particularly at the larger end, with distinct markings of rich reddish
brown and chestnut-red, among which are a few clouded markings of bluish
grey; their medium length is nine lines, and breadth six and a half
lines.
Like the young of _M. chloropsis_, the young birds of this species breed
some time before arriving at maturity; at all events I have found
examples breeding with that brown colouring of the head and neck, which
I believe to be characteristic of youth.
The sexes are alike in plumage, but the female is somewhat smaller than
the male.
Upper surface greenish olive; head and chin black; crescent-shaped mark
at the occiput and all the under surface white; wings and tail brown,
the apical half of the external webs of the primaries narrowly edged
with grey; basal half of the external webs of the primaries, the outer
webs of the secondaries and the tail-feathers washed with greenish
olive; naked space above the eye scarlet; feet olive; irides very dark
brown; bill blackish brown.
The Plate represents a male and a female of the natural size.
[Illustration:
MELITHREPTUS CHLOROPSIS: _Gould_.
_J. Gould and H. C. Richter del et lith._ _Hullmandel & Walton Imp._
]
MELITHREPTUS CHLOROPSIS, _Gould_.
Swan River Honey-eater.
_Melithreptus chloropsis_, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., November,
1847.
_Jȉn-gee_, Aborigines of the lowland, and
_Bun-g̏een_, of the mountain districts of Western Australia.
_Bȅr-ril-bȅr-ril_, Aborigines of Swan River.
This species differs from the _Melithreptus lunulatus_ in being of a
larger size, and in having the bare space above the eyes of a pale green
instead of red; in other respects the two birds so closely assimilate,
that they are scarcely distinguishable from each other. Individuals in a
browner and more dull style of plumage, presenting in fact all the
appearances of young birds of the first year, have occasionally been
found breeding, a circumstance which has induced many persons to believe
them to be distinct; as, however, I found in New South Wales individuals
in a similar style of plumage in company and breeding with adult
_Melithrepti lunulati_, I am induced to regard these dull-coloured birds
as merely precocious examples of the respective species, affording
additional evidence of the extreme fecundity of the Australian animals.
The _Melithreptus chloropsis_ is a native of Western Australia, where
Mr. Gilbert states it is almost always found on the upper branches of
the different species of _Eucalypti_, feeding upon the honey of the
flowers and insects. Its usual note is a rapidly uttered _twit_, but it
occasionally emits a harsh, grating and lengthened cry.
Its flight is of short duration, merely extending from tree to tree in
undulating starts.
The nest is usually suspended from the small branches near the top of
the gum-trees, where the foliage is thickest, which renders it extremely
difficult to detect. A nest found by Mr. Gilbert in October was formed
of sheep’s wool and small twigs; another found by him in November was
attached to a small myrtle-like tree, in a thick gum forest, not more
than three feet from the ground; both these nests contained three eggs,
nine and a half lines long by six and a half lines broad, of a deep
reddish buff, thinly spotted all over, but particularly at the larger
end, with dark reddish brown, some of the spots being indistinct, while
others were very conspicuous.
The stomach is somewhat muscular, but very diminutive in size, and the
food consists of honey, the buds of flowers and small coleoptera.
Upper surface greenish olive; head and chin black; crescent-shaped mark
at the occiput and under surface white; wings and tail brown, margined
with greenish olive; apical half of the external webs of the primaries
narrowly edged with white; irides dull red; bill blackish brown; naked
space above the eye greenish white in some, in others pale wine-yellow;
tarsi and outer part of the feet light greenish olive; inside of the
feet bright yellow.
The Plate represents the two sexes of the natural size.
[Illustration:
MELITHREPTUS ALBOGULARIS: _Gould_.
_J. Gould and H. C. Richter del et lith._ _Hullmandel & Walton Imp._
]
MELITHREPTUS ALBOGULARIS, _Gould_.
White-throated Honey-eater.
_Melithreptus albogularis_, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., November
1847.
This species, which inhabits the northern and eastern parts of
Australia, is very abundant on the Cobourg Peninsula, and I have
received specimens from the neighbourhood of Moreton Bay. The total
absence of any black mark beneath the lower mandible and the pure
whiteness of the throat serve to distinguish it from every other known
species; the colouring of the back, which inclines to rich wax-yellow,
is also a character peculiar to it. It is very numerous around the
settlement at Port Essington, where it occurs in families of from ten to
fifteen in number; it is of a very pugnacious disposition, often
fighting with other birds much larger than itself; while among the leafy
branches of the _Eucalypti_, which are its favourite trees, it
frequently pours forth a loud ringing whistling note, a correct idea of
which is not easily conveyed. Like its near ally the sexes present no
other external difference than the smaller size of the female; and the
young at the same age present a similar style of colouring to that
observable in the _M. lunulatus_ and _M. chloropsis_, the head and sides
of the neck being brown instead of black, and the naked skin above the
eye scarcely perceptible.
The food consists entirely of insects and the pollen of flowers, in
searching for which it displays a great variety of positions, sometimes
threading the leaves on the smaller branches, and at others clinging to
the very extremities of the bunches of flowers.
The nest, which is always suspended to a drooping branch, and which
swings about with every breath of wind, is formed of dried narrow strips
of the soft bark of the _Melaleuca_. The eggs, which are generally two
in number, are. of a light salmon colour, blotched and freckled with
reddish brown, and are about nine lines long by six lines broad.
Upper surface greenish wax-yellow; head black; crescent-shaped mark at
the occiput, chin and all the under surface white; wings and tail brown
margined with greenish wax-yellow; irides dull red; bill brownish black;
legs and feet greenish grey, with a tinge of blue on the front of the
tarsi.
The Plate represents the two sexes of the natural size.
[Illustration:
MELITHREPTUS MELANOCEPHALUS: _Gould_.
_J. Gould and H. C. Richter del et lith._ _Hullmandel & Walton Imp._
]
MELITHREPTUS MELANOCEPHALUS, _Gould_.
Black-headed Honey-eater.
_Melithreptus melanocephalus_, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., May 27,
1845.
This bird I believe to be peculiar to Van Diemen’s Land, over the whole
of which island it is very abundant. The _Eucalypti_ appear to be the
trees to which it gives preference, for although it is seen on every
tree in the forest, the gums are those most frequented by it; and among
the foliage and flowers of those trees it is constantly searching for
its food, which is of a mixed character, and which, like that of the
other members of the _Meliphagidæ_, consists principally of insects,
particularly small coleoptera, and the pollen of flowers; like the other
members of the family also, it creeps and clings about the branches
after the manner of the Tits of Europe. It is a lively, animated bird,
and generally goes in companies of from ten to twenty in number,
according as the supply of food may be more or less plentiful. During
the fruit-season it frequents the gardens of the settlers and commits
considerable havoc among the fruit, of which it is exceedingly fond.
The sexes are precisely alike in external appearance, but the young
differ considerably from the adults, having the throat yellowish white
instead of black, and the basal portion of the bill flesh-colour or
yellow; their feet also are much lighter than the adults.
This bird is one of the numerous foster-parents of _Cuculus cinereus_
and _C. cineraceus_, which species I have seen it feeding soon after
leaving the nest.
The whole of the head and throat, and a semilunar mark on either side of
the chest deep glossy black; all the upper surface yellowish olive,
becoming brighter on the rump; wings and tail brownish grey with lighter
margins; breast white; remainder of the upper surface greyish white;
bill black; irides reddish brown; feet brown; bare skin over the eye
pearly white, slightly tinged with green.
The Plate represents a male and a female of the natural size.
[Illustration: