Page:The Emu volume 4.djvu/159



(Bittern).—Pairs were inhabiting the swamps to the north of Mogumber, where their curious notes might be heard any day.

(Hoary-headed Grebe).—Observed on a pool at the sources of the river and also near Mogumber.

(Black Swan).—This species frequents Lake Wannamool, where it is said to breed. It is also met with at Bindoon.

(Wild Duck).—A few on the lower reaches of the river west of Mogumber, and a nest found at one of the swamps the day I left the district.

Mr. E. M. Cornwall, Cairns, has kindly sent a set of two eggs of the abovementioned Honey-eater for examination and description. He took them on Dunk Island, 16th October, 1898. No doubt he would have sent them earlier, but was always hopeful of obtaining a duplicate set. However, his specimens now become the types.

The eggs may be described as elongated or pointed ovals in shape; texture of shell fine; surface slightly glossy, and colour light buff or pale fleshy tint, with a slight cap or darker wash of the same colour on the larger end. Dimensions in inches—(1) 1.0 X .65 inch; (2) .98 x .65 inch.

Except for their more pointed smaller ends and larger size, these eggs closely resemble the type of the well-known eggs of the Singing Honey-eater (P. sonora).

Mr. Cornwall mentions the nest as being the usual deep, cup-shaped structure, and that it was suspended in a small mangrove growing within high water mark.

The fine Fasciated Honey-eater can be easily identified from its congeners by the distinct bars of yellow and brown which transversely mark the throat and fore-neck. As far as is yet known, it frequents the mangrove belts of the Queensland coast and islands contiguous thereto; in fact, it is sometimes locally called the "Island" Honey-eater. Mr. Cornwall recently noticed the birds on Franklin Islands, near Cairns, while in 1885, during an excursion made by Mr. A. W. Milligan and myself to the Lower Fitzroy, we found Fasciated Honey-eaters there. Judging by their pleasant notes the birds were exceedingly merry, but extremely shy. We obtained skins for our collection, which were exhibited at the Field Naturalists' Club, but no eggs were found.