CHAPTER VIII. 



Numerous Small Subjects. 



THE class of country beloved of the Magpie, the Miner 

 and other species mentioned in the preceding 

 chapter, has many other and more accessible in- 

 habitants. Those birds which see fit to build their 

 homes upon the ground, or, more correctly, in the ground, 

 best suit the convenience of the Nature photographer. 

 There are not many such species — we wish there were 

 more — but the few there are have had a considerable 

 amount of our unwelcome patronage. Our chief offence in 

 this respect is against the Pardalotes, small, engaging birds 

 which, but for the expense, we could photograph continu- 

 ally without becoming weary. Between us we have about 

 forty pictures of these birds, and have, in addition, con- 

 signed dozens of "second rates" to the scrap-heap. Our 

 experience of the Diamond Birds, which is their popular 

 name, is confined to two species, although there are others 

 in Victoria. 



The larger species, the Orange-tipped Pardalote, has re- 

 ceived most of our attention. The open, and in places, 

 sandy, country in the Greensborough and Eltham districts 

 provides a wealth of nesting sites. The sides of dry water- 

 courses and of unused sand pits are favourite positions, and 

 the same nesting holes are used year after year. The nest 

 is built always in a tunnel, sometimes in a tree, but more 

 often in the ground. In the latter case the tunnel is 

 drilled by the aid of beak and claw, with a slightly upward 

 tendency toward the nesting chamber, presumably to pre- 

 vent dampness in wet weather. They are energetic 



115 



