Eero Trt S FREN AT A, Ramsay.

Bridled Honey-eater.

Ptilotis frenata, Ramsay, P. Z.S. 1874, p. 603.

 

r of the
recent additions to the family Meliphagide in the Australian continent. I give the following extract from

Justiryine the remarks which I have made on Pélotis flavostriata, the present species is anothe

Mr. Ramsay’s article, as it comprises all that is at present known respecting the species :—

«Of this new species, for which I beg to propose the name of P. frenata, on account of the markings at
the base of the bill and round the face, some few individuals were obtained, frequenting the Sucalypti
while in blossom, near the margin of a swamp in the Cardwell district.

«The birds were shot by my (then) collector, Mr. Broadbent, who is already well known as an
enthusiastic and careful taxidermist. To Mr. Broadbent’s researches my collection is also indebted for the
first specimen of Lopsaltria inornata, nov. sp.

*¢ Description —Whole of the upper surface dull brown; head, lores, and nape of neck blackish brown,
the feathers having indistinct lunulate markings and a gloss of olive in certain lights ; a semi-bare space
below the eye has a few minute buffy white feathers ; behind the eye a semilunar patch of white feathers
tipped with black, which, extending in a narrow line, almost encircles that organ. Eye-lashes black ; ear-
coverts black ; above them, immediately behind the eye, is a small tuft of bright wax-yellow feathers joing a
large triangular patch of light greyish brown feathers on the side of the neck, which has the upper portion
of it, nearest the ear-coverts, tinged with olive ; a narrow indistinct line of yellow on either side bounding the
ear-coverts below, extending obliquely to the lower part of the chin, where, meeting in au angle, they form
an indistinct yellow patch on the throat. Chin and remainder of the under surface dull brown, slightly
darker in tint on the breast and sides of the neck, lighter on the centre of the abdomen and under tail-
coverts ; across the chest are indistinct wavy lines of a darker tint, on the flanks indistinct lanceolate
markings of the same tint. Under surface of the shoulders, inner margins of tertiaries, secondaries, and
the basal portions of inner margins of the primaries light buff. The outer webs of the spurious wing-
feathers, the tertiaries, and secondaries, with some of the primaries, are on the upper surface tinged with
olive. Bill black, with the basal portion (except the culmen) yellow. The gape, with a narrow fleshy
appendage, yellow. Feet and tarsi dark brown.

* Total length 8°5 inches; bill from angle of mouth 1:05 inch, from feathers
0-2, breadth 0-2; wing from flexure 4:05; tail 83:6; tarsus 0°30.

at the nostrils 0°65, from

forehead 1-05, height at nostrils
“ Hab. Rockingham Bay.
eee alike i specimen, said be a male, is considerably smaller 1
“« Sexes alike in plumage. One specimen, said to be a male, 1s j
. : : G :  onches . wine 3:00) tall So: 20m nilnicommamelenon

measurements, which are as follows :—Total length 76 inches ; wing 3°65 ; tail 3 ; . — a :

=~ ¢ Pee Eun meni: orehead 0:9, height at nostril 0-2, breadth Ovz.
the mouth 0-95, from feathers at nostrils 06 inch, from forehead 0:9, height «

My figures represent the species of the size of life.

all its

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