INSESSOKES. 163 



Sp. 85. PARDALOTUS AFFINIS, Gould. 



Allied Diamond-bird. 



Pipra striata ?, Gmel. et Auct. 



Striped-headed Manakin, Shaw, Gen. Zool., vol. x. p. 29^ pi. 4. 



Pardalotus affinis Gould, in Proc. of Zool. Soc, part v. 1837, p. 25. 



Pardalotus affiiiis, Gould, Birds of Australia, fol., vol. ii. pi. 39. 



The Pardalotus affinis is distinguished by the yellow tips 

 of its spurious wings, and by the margin of the third primary 

 only being white. The bird figured by Shaw and Latham, 

 as quoted above, has, in all probability, reference to the 

 present species, but not, in my opinion, to the Pipra striata 

 of Gmelin, whose description does not agree with the Tas- 

 mania bird, or with any of those from New South Wales ; he 

 distinctly states that the tips of some of the wing-coverts are 

 yellow, and that the spurious wing is tipped with white, and, 

 moreover, adds that it is a native of South America. 



The Allied Diamond-bird is distributed over every part of 

 Tasmania, and may be regarded as the commonest bird of 

 the island : wherever the gum and wattle exist, there also may 

 the bird as certainly be found ; giving no decided preference 

 to trees of a high or low growth, but inhabiting alike the 

 sapling and those which have attained their greatest altitude. 

 It displays great activity among the branches, clinging and 

 creeping about in the most easy and elegant manner, examining 

 both the upper and under sides of the leaves with the utmost 

 care in search of insects. It is equally common in all the 

 gardens and shrubberies, even those in the midst of the towns, 

 forming a familiar and pleasing object, and enlivening the 

 scenery with its sprightly actions and piping though some- 

 what monotonous note. Its food consists of seeds, buds, 

 and insects, in procuring which, its most elegant actions are 

 brought into play. 



I was formerly led to believe that the Allied Diamond-bird 



M 2 



