The present interesting bird was forwarded to me by Mr. Bynoe as having been shot by him on the north coast, but I regret to say it was unaccompanied by any information whatever respecting its habits. In its structure it offers so close an alliance to the typical Myzomelæ that I have provisionally placed it in that group. Some of the specimens sent me had the centre of the back of a ferruginous hue, while in others the same part was jet-black; I am inclined to regard the former to be the plumage of the young birds of the year, and it is just possible it may also be characteristic of the adult female. Forehead, crown of the head, upper surface, wings, tail and a narrow band across the chest black; throat, upper tail-coverts and all the under surface white; bill and feet black. The birds are all figured of the natural size on one of the interesting plants from the same locality. [Illustration: MYZOMELA NIGRA; (_Gould_). _Drawn from Nature & on Stone by J. & E. Gould._ _Printed by C. Hullmandel._ ] MYZOMELA NIGRA, _Gould_. Black Honey-eater. _Myzomela nigra_, Gould in Birds of Australia, Part II. cancelled. _Dwer-da-ngok-ngun-nin_, Aborigines of the mountain districts of Western Australia. This most active little bird is peculiar to the interior of Australia, over which it has an extensive range. Mr. Gilbert found it in Western Australia, and I myself met with it on the plains near the Namoi; with me it was always on the Myalls (_Acacia pendula_),while in Western Australia, where it is very local, it generally evinced a preference for the sapling gums. Although it has the feathered tongue and sometimes partakes of the sweets of the flowers, it feeds almost exclusively on insects, which it procures both on the blossoms and among the thickly-foliaged branches. The male possesses a feeble plaintive note, which he frequently pours forth while perched upon some elevated dead branch, where he sits with his neck stretching out and without any apparent motion, except the swelling out of the throat and the movement of the bill. Its flight is remarkably quick, and performed with sudden zigzag starts. The female differs remarkably from the male in the colouring of the plumage, and, as is the case with many other birds, is much more difficult of access than her mate, who is always more animated, and frequently betrays his presence by his voice or song. Mr. Gilbert was more fortunate than myself in finding the nest of this little bird, and has furnished the following notes respecting its incubation:—