MYZANTHA OBSCURA, Gow.

Sombre Honey-eater.

Myzantha obscura, Gould in Proc. ot Wool, Sow. Wart WINN, jo. 158.
Bil-ya-goo-rong, Aborigines of the lowland, and
Bil-youf-ga, Aborigines of the mountain districts of Western Australia.

 

Tus species inhabits Swan River and the south-western portion of Australia generally, where it beautifully
represents the Mysantha garrula of New South Wales. In habits, actions and disposition the two birds
nearly assimilate, minor differences being easily discernible.

Mr. Gilbert’s notes supply me with the following information, which I give in his own words :—

«Tt inhabits every variety of wooded situation, in all parts of the colony, and is generally met with in
small families. In flying the wings are moved very rapidly, but the bird does make progress in proportion

to the apparent exertion ; at times, when passing from tree to tree, its flight is graceful in the extreme.

«Its note is a loud pee-pee, which is often very much varied.
“The stomach is small but tolerably muscular ; and the food, which consists of coleopterous and other

insects, seeds and berries, is procured both on the ground and among the branches.
of the smaller gum trees, and is formed of

“The nest is built on an upright fork of the topmost branches
small dried sticks lined with soft grasses and feathers. The eggs are eleven and a half lines long by nine
lines broad, of a rich orange-buff, obscurely spotted and blotched with a deeper tint, particularly at the

larger end.”

The sexes offer but little difference in colour, but the female is somewhat smaller in all her admea-

surements.
Forehead yellowish olive; lores, line beneath the eye and ear-coverts black ; head and all the upper

surface dull grey, with an indistinct line of brown down the centre of each feather, giving the whole a
mottled appearance ; wings and tail brown, margined at the base of the external webs with wax-yellow, the

throat and under surface dull grey, becoming lighter on the lower part of the

tail terminating in white ;
a crescent-shaped mark of light brown

abdomen and under tail-coverts ; the feathers of the breast with
ides dark brown; bare skin round the eye, bill, and bare

near the extremity, and tipped with light grey ; ir
gs and feet dull reddish yellow ; claws dark brown.

patch on each side of the throat, bright yellow; le
The Plate represents the two sexes of the natural size.

Lar (gaye