Page:The Emu volume 2.djvu/237

 * (Grass-Bird).—This is easily identified by its shrill whistle among the reed-beds bordering the lagoons.

(Grass-Warbler).—Common.

(Tits).—One bird shot on the Pass River coincides in every particular with the description of A. ewingii of Gould, which was afterwards merged by that naturalist, presumably for want of further material, with A. diemenensis. At the same time attention was drawn to its being the slenderer bird, with more brown at the base of the primaries. A second Acanthiza, which inhabits more the shorter scrub of King Island, away from the watercourses, proves to be a species quite distinct from any known; a description of it is given in another part of this issue (page 202), under the name of A. magnirostris, or Great-billed Tit.

.—The species of Scrub-Wren common on King Island approaches nearest S. humilis of Tasmania, in having dusky under parts, but from its smaller size, lighter colour on the back, and the possession of a distinct band on the tail, it appears to be a link between that form and S. osculans of the southern part of Victoria. Further research may prove these two species to be very closely allied.

(White-fronted Chat).—A sombre-coloured bird shot on the margin of some scrub proved to be a young female of this species, but no mature birds, nor indeed any other specimens, were seen.

(Olive Thickhead).—This large Thickhead with beautiful aesthetic markings, is characteristic of the dense scrubs of King Island, but its distinctive whistle is more often heard than the bird is seen.

(Spine-bill).—This seems even more at home in the gardens about the homesteads than in the native bush, where the flowers are small and not so laden with honey and insects.

(White-eye).—Common.

(Strong-billed Honey-eater).—This powerfully built bird is ever on the move, in parties of five or six, among the gum trees along the ridges and in the valley of the Pass River, where alone on the island it is found. Not only does it search among the leafy tree tops for its food, but it can be seen climbing about the loose shreds of bark, and prying into every crevice. It has a harsh cry.

(Black-headed Honey-eater).—This is another bird seen only in the timber about Pass River, and is there even more plentiful than the preceding species. It is a very energetic little Honey-eater, and rather pugnacious, driving away even the larger Yellow-throated Honey-eater from its domains. On one occasion two Black-headed Honey-eaters fell at my feet struggling in one another's claws, and they continued the dispute on the ground for some seconds. They, too, pry about actively on the eucalyptus bark in search of food. The fully-fledged young are brown on the back, quite yellow on the under surface, and the complete brilliant black hood characteristic of the adult is represented only by dull black on the face and chin.

(Yellow-throated Honey-eater).—Inhabits the dense scrubs. Its note and all its habits are similar to P. leucotis of the mainland.

(Crescent Honey-eater).—Is a rowdy denizen of tea-tree scrubs along the watercourses.