64 



FOREIGN BIRDS FOR CAGE AND AVIARY. 



trivial name for the Pardalotes or Panther-birds) have 

 been erroneously referred to the above family he does 

 not say where they ought to be placed, and as Campbell 

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

 also ; in their habits they reseirible the Titmice 

 (Pur it/ n) pretty closely, but I should 'be very sorry to 

 tautest that they were related to them; one of these 

 days some anatomist will dou'btless decide what is their 

 natural position. 



SPOTTED PANTHER-BIRD (Pardalotus punctatus).* 



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

 white spot at the tip of each fea.ther ; a white eyebi'ow- 

 .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 mahogany 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 excellent illustration of the male in two positions 

 by Mr. Norman B. Roberts accompanies an article on 

 this bird which I published in June, 1900. (Tlic Avi- 

 fi/!fi/n/l Magazine, 1st Series, Vol. VI., pp. 165-9.) 



Gould save 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 every variety of position both 

 above and beneath the leaves with equal facility. 



"With regard to the nidification of the species, it 

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

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

 other known member of the genus ; for while they 

 always nidify in the holes of trees, this species descends 

 to the ground, 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 

 'litticult 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 can 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 ago Profes s or Alfred Newton objected to my adop- 

 tion of this German name for the species, in place of the Australian 

 name Diamond-bird ; but I pointed out that there were other 

 Diamond-birds in Australia the Diamond-Sparrow and the Diamond- 

 Dove ind a dealer would ba confused by so many ; to that 

 ' Panther-bird" was pre r erable. 



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

 song of the Spotted Diamond-bird is a rather harsh 

 piping note of two syllables often repeated." " Handb. 

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



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

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

 is sometimes formed of grass. Sometimes 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, 

 but never in the hollow branches of trees like those of 

 other birds. When blown the eggs are pearly white. 

 The breeding-seas m sometimes commences as early as 

 July and lasts until the end of December, three broods 

 being reared. 



W T hen building, according to Mr. C. C. Brittlebank 

 the male collects till his bill is full of bark, 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. .!. Abraham? in 1882. He sent a pair to Dr. Iluss. 

 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 ( 



Though, there is not much prospect of aviculturists 

 recuring many Pot-birds in the future, it has been such 

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

 passed over. 



POE HONEY-EATER, Tri, OR PAIISOX-BIRD 

 (Prosthemadera nova-zealandia. I. 



Shining metallic green with purple reflections on the 

 shoulders, rump and upper 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 gresn outer edges towards base ; this- 

 colour increases on the secondaries until it covers the 

 whole web ; tail metallic green with purplish reflec- 

 tions; lower breast metallic green changing to purplish 

 Hue; 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 whit,- 

 filamentous feathers ; bill and feet blackish brown ; 

 iride> dark brown. Female smaller, less brightly 

 coloured, more brown on underparts ; tufts on throat 

 siraller. llab.. New Zealand. 



Sir Walter Buller Bays: "This i* one of our mos: 

 common species, and on that account generally receives 

 less attent:on 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 key-note of preparation), they indulge in a peculiar 

 outburst which has been facetiously described as 'a 



