OF SOUTHERN AUSTRALIA. 153 



SPOTTED PARDALOTE 



(Diamond-bird), 



Pardalotus pimctatus, Temm. 



Pdr-da-lo tus pungk-ta'tus. 

 Pardalotus, spotted like the pardalis, pard ; punctatus, dotted. 



Pardalotus punctatus, Gould, " Birds of Australia," fol., vol. ii., 



pi. 35. 



Geographical Distribution. — Areas 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 



Key to the Species. — Head black, with round white spots ; back 



mottled ; loral spot white ; under tail coverts yellow ; rump 



chestnut ; mandibles about equal, short and strong ; nasal 

 membranes concealed by plumes. 



The habitat of this typical " Diamond-bird " is principally 

 in the south and south-east of the continent, while a very 

 close ally, the Yellow-rumped Pardalote, occupies the Mallee 

 country of Victoria. 



P. punctatus is a creek-loving bird, performing that service 

 — i.e., destroying insects along the banks — in moist country 

 that P. xanthopygius does in the dry, and P. ornatus in more 

 open and undulating country. Five species are to found in 

 the western State. 



Both sexes take part in excavating a blind tunnel in the 

 creek bank for their nest, and, Kke most perching birds, they 

 show^ a thorough enthusiasm in the work. To find where the 

 species breeds close observation is necessary. It goes to and 

 comes from a hole in the ground that may be owned by any 

 of a dozen other small animals, so undecided are the signs 

 that a bird lives within. Like the other Pardalote members, 

 it tunnels for a few inches on an upward grade, and, enlarging 

 the end for the reception of its dome- shaped nest, cleverly 

 builds in the dark its warm nesting-place, thickly lining it 



