The male has the head, neck, breast, back and upper tail-coverts rich
shining scarlet; lores, wings and tail black, the wing-coverts margined
with huffy white, and the primaries with greyish olive; under surface of
the wing white; abdomen and under tail-coverts buff; bill and feet
black; irides dark brown.
The female is uniform light brown above, becoming much lighter beneath.
The figures are those of the two sexes and of the natural size.
[Illustration:
MYZOMELA ERYTHROCEPHALA: _Gould_.
_J. Gould and H. C. Richter del et lith._ _C. Hullmandel Imp._
]
MYZOMELA ERYTHROCEPHALA, _Gould_.
Red-headed Honey-eater.
_Myzomela erythrocephala_, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Part VII. p.
144.
The Red-headed Honey-eater is so distinctly marked as almost to preclude
the possibility of its being confounded with any known species of the
genus. In size it rather exceeds the common Sanguineous Honey-eater, but
is far more diminutive than the species described by Latham as
inhabiting the Isle of Tanna, under the name of _Certhia Cardinalis_.
The northern portion of Australia would appear to be the true habitat of
the bird here represented, all the specimens that have come under my
notice having been procured at Port Essington, where it is exclusively
confined to the extensive beds of mangroves bordering the inlets of the
sea. From the flowers of these trees it collects its favourite food,
which, like that of the other species of the group, consists of insects
and honey. It is a most active little creature, flitting from one
cluster of flowers to another, and from branch to branch with the
greatest rapidity, uttering at the same time its rather sharp and harsh
chirrup. Mr. Gilbert states that it is far from being abundant, and is
so seldom seen near the settlement that no examples had been procured
prior to his visit.
The sexes present the usual difference in the smaller size and sombre
colouring of the female.
No information whatever was acquired respecting its nidification, nor
whether it be migratory or not.
The male has the head and rump scarlet, the remainder of the plumage
deep chocolate-brown; irides reddish brown; bill olive-brown, becoming
much lighter on the lower mandible; legs and feet olive-grey.
The female is uniform brown above, lighter beneath.
The Plate represents two males and a female of the natural size.
[Illustration:
MYZOMELA PECTORALIS: _Gould_.
_J. Gould and H. C. Richter del et lith._ _C. Hullmandel Imp._
]
MYZOMELA PECTORALIS, _Gould_.
Banded Honey-eater.
_Myzomela pectoralis_, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Part VIII. p.
170.
It will be seen from the number of novelties received from that
territory, that the northern coast of Australia possesses a fauna almost
peculiar to itself, few species, of the smaller birds at least, being
similar to those of the southern coast.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account