14 DESCRIPTIONS OF OUR NATIVE BIRDS. 



STRIATED PARDALOTE. 



(Pardalotus striatus, or Diamond bird.) 

 (Pardalotus ornatus.) 



OTHER SPECIES i Yellow-rumped Pardalote {P. xanthopygius). 



i Spotted Diamond Bird (P. punctatus). 

 SOUTH AUSTRALIA. J 



Size.— This little bird is only about iin. long, and at first sight looks less than 

 that, owing to its queer short tail feathers. 



Bill.— Its beak is short, and grey to black in color. 



P'eet and Legs.— The color of the legs and feet is greenish grey. 



Plumage.— The forehead and crown of the head are nearly black. The back of the 

 neck and sides of the face are speckled with white on dark grey, the 

 speckled appearance being due to a short white mark down the centre 

 of each feather. A broad streak, which is orange colored near the nostril, 

 extends backward over the eye, where it merges through yellow into white, 

 until it reaches the ear. The throat and chest are yellow, and the abdomen 

 white, shading into light brown near the tail. The neck and shoulders 

 are brownish grey, the rump being colored a little lighter brown. The 

 wing feathers are nearly black, and edged with white at or near the tip, 

 the white edges giving them a streaked or striated appearance. On 

 the wing is a distinctive red spot. The tail is black, tipped with white, 

 and is very stumpy. 



Habitat. The pardalote likes those localities that are timbered with eucalypts. 



Pood.— The food of this little bird consists chiefly of insect Ufe. 



Nest.— The nest is a small rounded one, made of fine grass, and situated in a hollow 

 either in a river bank or in a dead limb of a tree. The time of nesting 

 is during September, October, and November. 



^QGS. The eggs are white, and usually four in number. They are small, oval, 



and measure about fin. x |in. 



