150 • THE USEFUL BIRDS 



ALLIED PARDALOTE 



(WiT-E-CHU), 



Pardalotus assimilis, Rams. 



(Sub-species of P. ornatus, Temm.) 

 Pm'-da-lotus as-simi-lis. 

 Pardalotus, spotted like the pardalis, pard ; ad, to ; similis, like. 

 Geographical Distribution. — Areas 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9. 



Key to the Species. — Head streaked white ; third or third and fourth 

 primaries edged with white; speculum scarlet, crimson, orange, or 

 yellow ; bill strong and short, the mandibles about equal ; nasal 

 membrane concealed by plumes. 



The bird does not stay to winter in its breeding haunt, and 

 is away long before sure signs of the coming fall are generally 

 noticeable. Quickly bounding in its flight, it shows the usual 

 methods of the Diamond-bird. Rushing from bough to 

 bough and eucalypt to eucalypt in search of insects, it 

 leads an active life. The same vieour is shown on leaving 

 its lowly-placed nest, for it flies rapidly up into a tree 

 to view the position, hunt the trail of an insect, then sooner 

 or later glide or flutter down to its previously occupied 

 position, perhaps en route to spend a moment, on a limb 

 close by. 



In the search for provender this useful insectivorous bird 

 follows the course of a bough for " scales," picking up strays 

 and permanents alike. I have watched this bird and the 

 other species all acting similarly in travelling along the stems 

 of saplings, taking of! the carapaces and feeding upon the 

 animals within. The remains of Coleoptera and Diptera I 

 have found within the stomachs, although I venture to say 

 this is not the staying point in the wide choice of insect 

 life. 



On a clear summer's day you may try to quickly locate the 



