i68



unknown bird notes floating through the window, and the

delicious invigorating early-morning air of the bush, laden with

the scent of gum trees, was filling my every nerve with an

excess of life. It was no hardship, therefore, to turn out into a

new world overflowing with wonders and delights.


This ornithological Paradise is on the banks of the Murray,,

in New South Wales. During this, my first, day ‘up country/

I noted no less than 68 species, many of which I did not at the

time recognise, and, with the exception of a few Parrots and

Honey-eaters in the vicinity of Melbourne, not one of which

had I ever seen before in a state of nature.


One of the first of the small birds to attract my attention

was the Spotted Pardalote or Panther Bird.


These delightful little creatures appear like animated

jewels, with their shining white spots on a black ground, relieved

by gold and crimson. I found them generally in small flocks of

about half-a-dozen, no doubt family parties. The}' - are not at all

shy, and it is therefore possible to watch them closely. They

are always in motion, and one could not wish for a prettier

sight than four or five of these lovely little birds, swinging

head downwards, or performing other acrobatic feats, as they

forage among the blossons of a gum tree for the small insects

attracted thither by the honey they contain in such abundance.

I have also seen them on the ground, feeding upon grass and

other seeds.


I had no opportunity for examining their nests or for

going into their life-history, but the sexes are alike, and all the

specimens I obtained were marked in a similar manner with

varying degrees of intensity. It is possible that the nest feathers

may be different from those of the adult bird, but if so, they

undergo the change very soon after the youngsters ai'e able to

shift for themselves.


The allied form, P. affinis, is a rarer and not quite so

attractive a bird as the subject of the plate. The back is olive

without any markings, there are no spots, but some of the

secondaries are margined, and the feathers of the crown of the

head are streaked with white, there is very little yellow on the

throat, and the only bright spot of colour is the bastard wing,

which is brilliant scarlet.


I think it would be possible to keep these birds healthy in

captivity, and I wonder that more attempts have not been made

to bring them to this country. They are not uncommon, and

inhabit the same districts as the Diamond Sparrow, Zebra Finch,



