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GLYCIPHILA ALBIFRONS, Gould.
White-fronted Honey-eater.
Glyciphila albifrons, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Part VIII. p. 160.
Gool-be-gool-bum, Aborigines of the mountain districts of Western Australia.
Black-throated Honey-sucker, Colonists of Swan River.
I f i r s t observed this fine new species of Glyciphila in the great Murray scrub of South Australia, where I
succeeded in killing several specimens of both sexes ; it is also an inhabitant o f the York and other inland
districts of Western Australia, and Captain Sturt obtained an example during one of his overland journeys
from Sydney to Adelaide: we may consequently infer that, like many others, it is a species peculiar to the
interior, where it probably supplies the place of the Fulvous-fronted Honey-eater, so abundantly dispersed
along the line of coast.
In its disposition the present bird is remarkably shy, a trait common, it would seem, to all the members
of the genus. All those I observed were busily engaged in collecting their insect and saccharine food from
the flowers of a species of dwarf Eucalyptus, during which their actions much resembled those of the
restricted genus Meliphaga; but they appeared if possible to hang and cling beneath the branches with
even greater facility.
Its flight much resembles that of its near ally, being short, performed in sudden starts, and all times unsteady.
Its note is a double one, rapidly repeated, and much resembles the double call of the Pardalotus striatus,
but is much louder and more distinct.
The breeding-season lasts from August to February. The nests observed were constructed in the fork of
a small dead branch in an exposed situation, and without the slightest shelter ; they were very similar to
that of Meliphaga longirostris, but more shallow and less neatly formed. The eggs also closely resembled
those of that bird; the ground-colour being delicate buff, clouded with reddish buff at the larger end, and
distinctly spotted with chestnut-red and purplish grey, thickly disposed at the larger end, but very sparingly
over the rest of the surface; the eggs are nine and a half lines long by seven lines broad.
The sexes present no difference in colour or markings, but as usual the female is much less in size.
Forehead, lores, a narrow ring round the eye, and a narrow line running from the angle of the lower
mandible wbite; crown of the head black, each feather slightly margined with white ; ear-coverts silvery
blackish grey, behind which an irregular line of white ; all the upper surface brown, irregularly margined
with white, producing a mottled appearance; wings and tail brown, the primaries margined externally with
yellowish green; chin and throat brownish black, the former minutely speckled with white; under surface
of the wing buff; chest and abdomen white, striped with blackish brown on tbe flanks; irides dark brown;
naked skin round the eyes dark brownish black in front, arterial blood-red behind; bill black; legs and
feet greenish grey.
The figures are of the natural size.