PARDALOTUS RUBKLCATUS. 



(Red-lored Pardalote.) 



Forehead, crossed by a narrow band of dirty white ; crown and back of the head, deep black, each feather spotted with white near the tip ; 

 back of the neck, back, wing coverts, and rump, brownish grey ; wings, dark brown, margined with pale brown ; spurious wing, a small 

 portion of the base of the primaries, and outer margins of secondaries, rich orange ; lores, bright reddish orange ; above and behind the eye, 

 a stripe of buff; upper tail coverts, bright olive green; tail, deep blackish brown, tipped with white; throat and abdomen, greyish white; 

 chest, bright yellow ; upper mandible and legs, broAvn ; under mandible, greyish white ; irides, greenish yellow. 



Length, 4 inches ; wing, 2\ ; tail, 1^ ; bill, | ; tarsus, f. 



This rare species is found in the interior, in the neighborhood of Cooper's Creek. Mr. White, of Eeed Beds, near Adelaide, 

 says : " It is not scarce, and, like others of its genus, is ever engaged creeping about amongst the foliage of the trees (chiefly stunted 

 Eucalypti) in search of insects, and making a snapping noise with its bill. It is not shy, and its note is a short whistle, rapidly repeated. 

 The sexes are nearly alike in color and size. I believe it burrows in banks of earth, as several specimens I shot had their nostrils and bills 

 plastered with red earth. 



PARDALOTUS STRIATUS. 



(Striated Pardalote.) 



Forehead and crown, black — the latter, striped with white ; a stripe, commencing at the base of the upper mandible, and passing over the 

 eye backwards to the occiput, is bright yellow in front and white behind ; back, brownish olive, tinged with grey ; rump and upper tail 

 coverts, yellowish brown ; wings, black ; the external edges of from the third to the seventh primaries, white ; the bases and tips are also 

 white ; secondaries, margined with white and reddish brown ; spurious wing, tipped with scarlet ; tail, black, tipped with white ; sides of the 

 face and neck, grey ; throat and upper part of the chest, yellow ; centre of the abdomen, white ; flanks and under tail coverts, brownish buff", 

 the former tinged with yellow ; irides, brownish red ; bill, yellowish white, margined above and tipped with greyish brown ; feet, greenish grey. 



Length, 3i inches ; wing, 2\ ; tail, li ; bill, f ; tarsus, f . 



This pretty species is not uncommon in New South Wales, South Australia, and Western Australia, It frequents the higher 

 branches of gum trees in search of its insect food, after which it darts with great swiftness, and utters a short chirp, repeated several times. 

 Though stated by Mr. Glould to build in the holes of trees, it is also known to burrow like others of the genus. Mr, Stapleton, of Mount 

 Gambler, informs me that in that neighborhood caves or subsidences of the earth are common, and that such situations are resorted to by 

 hundreds of these birds for the purpose of breeding, their holes being made in the soft soil forming the upper stratum of these openings ; 

 they also take possession of holes or crevices in the walls of stone houses for the same purpose. The nest is always beautifully lined with 

 shreds of dried grasses and fibrous roots. Eggs, four, fleshy white : size, 9 by 7 lines. 



PARDALOTUS APFINIS. 



(Allied Pardalote.) 



General plumage as in Pardalotus Striatus, but may be distinguished from that species by the tips of the spurious wing being yellow, and 

 the margin of the third primary alone being white. The rest of the plumage as in the former species 



Length, 3i inches ; wing, 2f ; tail, li ; bill, f ; tarsus, |. 



This which is one of the commonest birds in Tasmania, is also found throughout the southern and eastern colonies of Australia. 

 It is ever on the move, and displays great elegance and dexterity in its movements. Its food consists of insects, buds, and seeds. It breeds 

 twice in the year ; the nest is round, and domed like a wren's, and fixed in the hole of a tree ; it is formed of grass, and lined with feathers, 

 Effffs, three to five in number, and white : size, 9 by 7 lines. 



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