in the Neighbourhood of Sydneij. 273 



small troops with its ally Pardalotus affinis, after the arrival of 

 that migrating species in April and May. 



Both species betake themselves to the leafy boughs of the 

 Eucalyj)ti, showing preference for the tops of the smaller trees 

 and saplings. In such places they procure the chief part of 

 their food^ which consists of a kind of manna that exudes from 

 the torn edges of the leaves, the larvoi of various xmnnie, Lepido- 

 ptera, and spiders, the webs of which are not unfrequently found 

 twisted into small hard loose rings encircling their legs ; these 

 rings of cobweb are found more often upon P. affinis and P. 

 vielanocephalus than upon the present species. Some individuals 

 prefer wearing two rings on the same leg, others have one on 

 each. Although numerous specimens (chiefly of P. melanoce- 

 phalus) which have been in the Australian Museum for years, 

 as well as several in our own collection at Dobroyde, have these 

 rings on the tarsi, the fact does not appear to have attracted 

 uotice until quite lately. 



The Spotted Diamond-bird, like the Black-headed species 

 (P. melanocephalus) , digs a small narrow burrow in the side of 

 a bank or mound of earth ; the end of this it enlarges into a 

 spherical chamber of about four inches in diameter, which it lines 

 ail round, but more thickly at the bottom, with fine strips of 

 stringy bark, or, in the absence of this material, with grass. 

 When the earth is carefully removed and the nest taken out, it 

 is found to be a very loose hollow ball, slightly interwoven and 

 having a small round entrance in the side, which is, of course, 

 built opposite to the end of the burrow. Sometimes a small hole 

 in a log of wood is chosen ; a crevice in an old wall, a niche 

 under a shelving rock, or the banks of water holes or creeks, ail 

 are alike resorted to ; still I have never known the Spotted Par- 

 dalote to breed in the hollow branch of a tree, or take possession 

 of the nests of a Fairy Martin [Lagenuplastes ariel) as P. affinis 

 and P. striatus* are wont to do. 



The eggs of Pardalotus punctatus are four in number, of a 

 beautiful pearly-white after being emptied, but pinkish before, 



* In ' Ibis,' 18G6, page 126, line 8 from bottom, for P. punctatiis read 

 P. striatus. 



