BIRDS OF TASMANIA. 65 



" The Brush Wattle-Bird is a bold and spirited species, evin- 

 cing a considerable degree of pugnacity, fearlessly attacking and 

 driving away all other birds from the part of the tree on which it 

 is feeding; and there are few of the Honey-eaters whose actions 

 are more sprightly and animated. During the months of spring 

 and summer the male perches on some elevated branch and 

 screams forth its harsh and peculiar notes, which have not inaptly 

 been said to resemble a person in the act of vomiting, whence the 

 native name of ' Goo-gwar-ruck,' in which the natives have endeav- 

 oured to imitate this very singular note. While thus employed it 

 frequently jerks up its tail, throws back its head, and distends its 

 throat, as if great exertion was required to force out these harsh 

 and guttural sounds" (Gould). 



FAMILY-DIC/EID/E (3 species). 



*YELLOW-TIPPED PAEDALOTE (Diamond-Bird) 

 (Pardalotus ajfinis, Gould). 



Male. — " Forehead black; crown of head black, with a stripe of 

 white down the centre of each feather; a stripe of yellow com- 

 mences at the base of the upper mandible and runs above the eye, 

 where it is joined by a stripe of white, which leads nearly to the 

 occiput ; back of the neck and back greyish olive-brown ; rump 

 and upper tail coverts yellowish olive-brown; wings blackish, each 

 of the primaries having a fine round spot of white near the tip, 

 and the third externally edged with white, the secondaries 

 margined with white and rufous, and the tips of the spurious wing 

 yellow ; tail blackish-brown, each feather having a transverse mark 

 of white at the tip ; ear coverts and cheeks grey ; throat yellow ; 

 middle of chest and abdomen light yellow intermixed with white ; 

 flanks yellowish olive-brown; bill black; feet brown" (Gould). 

 Dimensions in mm.: — Length, 102; bill, 7; wing, 71; tail, 34: 

 tarsus, 19. (I have compared the above description by Gould with 

 specimens from various parts of the island, and as they tally 

 exactly I did not see the utility of redescribing the bird.) The 

 dimensions, however, are taken from a bird selected at random 

 from a series from different districts. 



Female. — Similar to male. 



Nest. — Although a hole in the side of a tree, either some 

 distance up or close to the ground, is usually chosen as a site, 

 yet sometimes the nest will be placed in a hole in the side of a 

 bank, notably the sandy cliffs at Berriedale. The nest itself is 

 constructed of fine pieces of bark and grass, with a warm lining of 

 feathers. 



Eggs. — Clutch four to five; stout or roundish oval in shape; 

 texture fine; surface glossy; colour pure white. Dimensions in 



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