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.
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.