The TUFTED HONEY-EATERS (Ptilotis) are remarkable for the unusual development of the feathers in the region of the ear. Their body is elongate, their wings short, and tail long. The strong, slightly-curved beak is short, and the foot of moderate size.
THE YELLOW-THROATED TUFTED HONEY-EATER.
The YELLOW-THROATED TUFTED HONEY-EATER (Ptilotis flavigula) is yellowish green on the back, wings, and tail. The dark grey under side glistens with a silver sheen; the belly and sides are pale olive, the top of the head dark grey, and the throat bright yellow. The feathers that compose the ear-tufts are tipped with yellow, and the outer web of the quills is deep brown. The eye is brown, the beak black, and the foot lead-grey; the gullet and tongue are of a brilliant orange-red. The length of this bird is eight inches; the wing measures four inches and a half, and the tail four inches and a quarter.
"This fine and conspicuous species," says Gould, "is abundant in all the ravines around Hobart Town, and is very generally spread over the whole of Van Dieman's Land, to which island I believe it to be exclusively confined. It is very animated and sprightly, extremely quick in its actions, elegant in its form, and graceful in all its movements; but as its colouring assimilates in a remarkable degree with that of the foliage it frequents, it is somewhat difficult of detection. When engaged in searching for food, it frequently expands its wings and tail, creeps and climbs among the branches in a variety of beautiful attitudes, and often suspends itself to the extreme ends of the outermost twigs. It occasionally perches on the branches of trees, but is mostly to be met with in dense thickets. It flies in an undulating manner, like a Woodpecker, but this power is rarely exercised. Its note is a full, loud, powerful, and melodious call. The stomach is muscular, but of very small size, and the food consists of bees, wasps, and other hymenoptera, also of coleoptera of various kinds, and the pollen of flowers. It is a very early breeder, as is proved by my finding a nest containing two young birds covered with down, and about two days old, on the 27th of September. The nest, which is generally placed in a low bush, differs considerably from those of all other Honey-eaters with which I am acquainted, particularly in the character of the material forming the lining. It is the largest and warmest of all, and is usually formed of ribbons of stringy bark, mixed with grass, and the cocoons of spiders; towards the cavity it is more neatly built, and is lined internally with opossum's or kangaroo's fur. In some instances the hair-like material from the base of the large leaf-stalks of the tree-fern is employed for the lining, and in others there is merely a flooring of wiry grasses or fine twigs. The eggs, which are either two or three in number, are of the most delicate fleshy buff, rather strongly but sparsely spotted with small prominent roundish dots of chestnut-red, intermingled with which are a few indistinct spots of purplish grey. The average length of the egg is eleven lines, and the breadth eight lines."
The BRUSH WATTLE BIRDS (Melichæra) are recognisable by their powerful body, strong and slightly curved beak, comparatively short foot, short rounded wing, and long, wedge-shaped, tapering tail.
THE TRUE BRUSH WATTLE BIRD.
The TRUE BRUSH WATTLE BIRD (Melichæra mellivora) is deep brownish grey on the back, each feather having a white stripe in the centre. The feathers on the throat and breast are brown, tipped with white; the rest of the under side appears lighter than the back, owing to the greater size of the white shaft-stripe. The upper quills are chestnut-brown on the inner web, and the rest brown tipped with white, as are the tail-feathers. The eye is grey, the beak black, and the foot brown. This species is about eleven inches long; the wing measures four inches and a quarter, and the tail five inches and one-sixth.
These birds inhabit all such parts of Tasmania, New South Wales, and South Australia as offer them the shelter of their favourite Banksias. Everywhere they are numerous, and display the utmost confidence and fearlessness towards man. In disposition they are lively, active, and so pugnacious as to live in a state of constant warfare with all their feathered companions. "The Brush Wattle Bird," says Gould, "is a bold and spirited species, evincing a considerable degree of pugnacity, fearlessly attacking and driving away all other birds from the part of the tree on which it is feeding, and there are few of the Honey-eaters whose actions are more sprightly and animated. During the months of spring the male perches on some elevated branch, and screams forth its harsh and peculiar notes, which have not unaptly been said to resemble a person in the act of vomiting; whence the Australian name of 'Goo-gwar-ruck,' in which the natives have endeavoured to imitate these very singular sounds. While thus employed, it frequently jerks up its tail, throws up its head, and distends its throat, as if great exertion were required to force out these harsh and guttural sounds. The Banksias are in blossom during the greater portion of the year, and the early flower, as it expands, is diligently examined by the Wattle Bird, which inserts its long feathery tongue into the interstices of every part, extracting the pollen and insects, in searching for which it clings to and hangs about the blossoms in every variety of position. The breeding season commences in September, and lasts for three months. The very small nest is round in shape, open at the top, and formed of delicate twigs and fibres. This pretty little structure is usually placed in the fork of a branch, at the height of a few feet from the ground. The two or three eggs are bright red, spotted slightly with dark brown; these markings are most numerous at the broad end."
THE POE, OR TUI.