THE PARDALOTES 367 



Key to the Species. 



I Head streaked with white on the hinder crown and 

 occiput. 

 All the primaries edged with white, forming a large 

 wing-patch; tips of primary coverts scarlet. 



Ked-tipped Pardalote, P. ornatus 

 Third and fourth primaries ed^ed with white ; tips of 

 primary coverts scarlet, orange or yellow. 



Orange-tipped Pardalote, P. asslmilis 

 Third primary only edged with white ; tips of primary 



coverts always yellow. Yellow-tipped Pardalote, P. affinis 



All three range from Queensland through New South Wales to Victoria. 

 P. ornatus extends to South and West Australia. P. assimilis has been 

 found in Central Australia. P. ajfinis extends to South Australia and across 

 Bass Strait to Tasmania. 



II. Head black with roiind spots of white. 



Back mottled, upper tail-coverts crimson, loral spot 

 white; throat and fore neck bright yellow, under 

 tail-coverts yellow. 



Bump chestnut. Spotted Pardalote, P. punctatus. 



Rump yellow. Yellow-rumped Pardalote, P. xanthopygius. 



Back ashy- brown, with faint dusky streaks, upper tail- 

 coverts washed with yellow ; loral spot scarlet ; 

 throat creamy- white with large pale yellow spot 

 on foreneck; under tail-coverts white. Red-browed Pardalote, P. rubricatus. 



P. punctatus all over Australia except the north-west and Northern 

 Queensland. P. ccanthopygius in New South Wales, Victoria, South and 

 West Australia. P. rubricatus in western New South Wales, Queensland, 

 Central Australia, Northern Territory, and North-west Australia. 



Pale Eed-browed Pardalote. — North-west Australia. Very similar to 

 P. rubricatus, but much paler in colour and lighter than any other 

 species of the genus. Length 4.0 inch, wing 2.5, tail 1.2. 



III. Head all black. 



Rump pale brown. Black-headed Pardalote, P. melanocephalus. 



Rump yellow. Chestnut-rumped Pardalote, P. uropygialis. 



P. melanocephalus is found in Queensland and Northern New South 

 Wales; P. uropygialis on all the Northern coasts of Australia. 



I \''. Head and back olive, with blackish margins to the 

 feathers; ear-coverts yellow; no white wing patch. 



Forty-spotted Pardalote, P. quadragintus. 



This species is confined to Tasmania and King Island. 



All the Pardalotes are small, ranging from 3.4 to 4.3 inches 

 in total length. They are fearless and active little birds, and 

 feed entirely on insects. The Spotted Diamond-bird is the com- 

 monest, and most widespread, and is often seen in suburban 

 gardens, hunting among the shrubs and low trees. This species 

 and the Red-tipped, the Black-headed, the Red-browed and the 



