64 



FOREIGN BIRDS FOR CAGE AND AVIARY. 



trivial name for the Pardalotes or Panther-birds) have 

 been enoneouslv referred to the above family he does 

 not say where tliey oufjht to be placed, and as Campbell 

 accepts Dr. Sharpe's decision I am afraid I must do so 

 also ; in their habits they resemble the Titmice 

 (Parldce) pretty closely, but I should be very sorry to 

 suggest that they were related to them ; one of thase 

 days some anatomist will doubtless decide what is their 

 natural position. 



Spotted Panther-bird {Pardalotus punctatus).' 



Crown and nape, wings, and tail black, with a round 

 white spot at tlie tip of each feather; a white eyebrow- 

 stripe from base of bill to beyond eye ; ear-coverts and 

 sides of neck grey ; feathers of back fawn-colour, grey 

 at base and with black edges ; rump and upper tail- 

 coverts mahogan}' red-brown, the tail-coverts redder; 

 throat and breast bright golden yellow ; abdomen sandy 

 bullish, tawny on the flanks ; under tail-coverts yellow ; 

 bill black ; feet flesh-brown ; irides dark brown. 

 Female with the colours less pronounced and no yellow 

 on the throat. Hab., "Queensland, New South Wales, 

 Victoria, South and West Australia, and Tasmania, 

 including some of the islands in Bass' Strait." — Camp- 

 bell. 



An exceUent illustration of the male in two positions 

 by Mr. Norman B. Roberts accompanies an article on 

 tills bird which I published in June, 1900. {The Avi- 

 cultural Magazine, 1st Series, Vol. VI., pp. 165-9.) 



Gould sayB of this species: — "It is incessantly 

 engaged in searching for insects among the foliage, both 

 of trees of the highest growth and of the lowest shrubs ; 

 it frequents gardens and enclosures as well as the open 

 forest ; and is exceedingly active in its actions, clinging 

 and moving about in ey^ry variety of position both 

 above and beneath the leaves with equal facility. 



" With regard to the nidiScation of the species, it 

 is a singular circumstance that, in the choice of situa- 

 tion for the reception of its Tiest, it differs from every 

 other known member of the genus ; for while they 

 always nidify in the noles of trees, this species descends 

 to the gronnd, and, availing itself of any little shelving 

 bank, excavates a hole just large enough to admit of 

 the passage of its body, in a nearly horizontal direction 

 to the depth of two or three feet, at the end of which a 

 chamber is formed in which the nest is deposited. The 

 nest itself is a neat and beautifully built structure, 

 formed of strips of the inner bark of the Eucalypti, 

 and lined with finer strips of the .same or similar 

 materials ; it is of a spherical contour, about four inches 

 in diameter, with a small hole in the side for an 

 entrance. The chamber is generally somewhat higher 

 than the mouth of the hole, by which means the risk 

 of its being inundated upon the occurrence of rain is 

 obviated. I have been fortunate enough to discover 

 many of the nests of this species, but they are most 

 difficult to detect, and are only to be found by watch- 

 irg for the egress or ingress of the parent birds from 

 or into their hole or entrance, which is frequently formed 

 in a part of the bank overhung with herbage, or 

 beneath the overhanging roots of a tree. How so neat 

 a structure as is the nest of the Spotted Diamond-bird 

 should be constructed at the end of a hole where no 

 light Ciin possibly enter is beyond our comprehension. 

 The eggs are four or five in number, rather round in 

 form, of a beautiful polished fleshy-white, seven and a 



♦ Some years aeo Professor Alfred Newton objected to my adop. 

 tion of this liernian name for tlie species, in place of the Australian 

 name Uiamond-blrd ; bnt I rointetl out tliat there were other 

 maniondhirds in Australia— the Uiamond-.Sparrow and the Diamond- 

 Dove— and a dealer wpuld be confused by so many; to that 

 'Panther-bird" was preferable. 



half lines long by six and a half lines broad. "The 

 song of the Spotted Diamondbird is a rather harsh 

 piping note of two svUables often repeated." — " Handb. 

 Birds Australia." Vol. I., pp. 157-8. 



According to Dr. Ramsay, the nest consists of a lining 

 to the spherical cliamber at the end of the burrow, and 

 is sometimes formed of grass. Stmietimes it is placed 

 in a hollow log, a crevice in an old wall, a niche under 

 a shelving rock, or the banks of water-holes or creeks, 

 hut never in the hollow branches of trees like those of 

 other birds. Wlien blown the eggs are ]>early white. 

 The breeding-seas m sometimes commences as early as 

 July and lasts until the end of December, three broods 

 being reared. 



When building, according to Mr. C. C. Brittlebank 

 the male collects till his bill is full of baik, which he 

 gives to his mate; he then collects his own load and 

 carries it to the nest. 



Mr. Campbell says that a nest which he " found in a 

 West Australian forest was only eight or nine inches 

 in the ground with a chamber three and a half inches 

 in diameter." — " Nests and Eggs of Australian Birds," 

 p. 444. 



This beautiful little bird was imported by the late 

 Mr. J. Abrahams in 1882. He sent a pair to Dr. Russ. 

 but unfortunately they were dead when they reached 

 him. There is not the least reason why they should 

 not be freely imported. With a stock of any good 

 insectivorous food there ought to be no difficulty. 



HONEY=EATERS (Mdiphagidce). 



Though there is not much prospect of aviculturists 

 securing many Poe-birds in the future, it ha.s been such 

 a notable cage-bird in the past that it must not be 

 passed over. 



PoE HoNEY-E.tTEH, TdI, OR PaRSON-BIRD 



{Prostliemadcra novev-zealandim). 



Shining metallic green with purple reflections on the 

 shoulders, rump and upjwr tail-coverts ; hind neck with 

 collar of soft curved filamentous feathers having white 

 central lines ; middle of back and scapulars bronze- 

 brown, the latter with blue reflections; greater wing- 

 coverts metallic green, the outer ones glossy blackish 

 purple ; intermediate ones white in their apical portion, 

 forming a distinct wing bar ; flights black ; primaries 

 with metallic green outer edges towards base; this 

 co'our increases on the secondaries until it covers the 

 whole web ; tail metallic green with purjilish reflec- 

 tions ; lower breast metallic green changing to purplish 

 I lue ; sides and abdomen blackish brown, the long 

 flank feathers shading into pale brown ; under surface 

 of wings and tail black ; under wing-coverts metallic 

 green ; throat ornamented with two tufts of curled white 

 filamentous feathers ; bill and feet blackish brown ; 

 irides dark hrown. Female smaller, less brightly 

 colouied, more brown on underparts j tufts on throat 

 sipaller. Hab., New Zealand. 



Sir Walter Buller says:— "This is one of our mosr 

 common species, and on that account generally receives 

 less attention in its own country than its singular beauty 

 merits." 



"It is incessantly on the move, pausing only to utter 

 its joyous notes. The early morning is the period 

 devoted to melody, and the Tuis then perform in 

 concert, gladdening the woods with their wild ecstacy. 

 Besides their chime of five notes (always preceded by 

 a keynote of preparation), they indulge in a peculiar 

 outburst which has been facetiously described as 'a 



