PTILOTIS VERSICOLOR, Gould.
Varied Honey-eater.
Ptilotis versicolor, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Part X. p. 136.
T h is fine species, which is a native o f the northern portion o f Australia, is only known to me from a specimen
contained in a collection from that part o f the country. That its whole habits and economy will
hereafter be found to assimilate most closely to those of the Ptilotis sonorus is certain, as it is most
intimately allied to that species, but may be readily distinguished from it by its larger size, its much longer
and stouter bill,, by the more contrasted character o f its markings, and the sulphur or wax-yellow colour
which pervades the breast and upper surface. It is one of the finest species yet discovered o f the genus to
which it belongs, and is at present so rare, that my own specimen is probably the only one that has been
brought to Europe.
All the upper surface brownish olive, tinged with yellowish olive on the margins of the feathers; outer
webs o f the primaries and tail wax-yellow; inner webs brown 5 under surface o f the wing and tail yellowish
buff; stripe over the eye to the back o f the neck black ; ear-coverts dark grey; below the ear-coverts a
stripe of bright yellow ; throat and under surface yellow, becoming paler as it approaches the vent, each
feather with a stripe of brown down the centre.
The Plate represents the bird in two positions of the natural size.