PAHDALOTUS. 53 



^ PARDALOTUS UROPYGIALIS, GouU. 



Yellow-rumped Pardalote. 



Gould, Handhh. Bds. Aust., Vol. i., sp. 87, p. 166. 



"This species is an inhabitant of the Gulf of Carpentaria district. 

 I have seen it in collections from the Norman River, and also 

 received the head, wings, and tail, accompanied with eggs from 

 Mr. William E. Armit, taken on the Etheridge River, where this 

 gentleman found it breeding in tunnels dug in the banks of creeks 

 and water-courses, &c., in company with P. rubricatus. I can see 

 no difference in the eggs of this and those of the following species 

 P. rubricatus, except that they are a trifle smaller. The following 

 remarks on P. rubricatus are equally applicable to this species also, 

 Mr. Armit assures me that they breed and nest in the same way, 

 and often accompany each other in small troops, searching for 

 insects among the leafy tops of the trees. Both species seem to 

 be confined to the inland districts. I searched diligently for them 

 at Rockingham Bay, but found only the common species, P. 

 meloMoceplialus. Eggs four in number, length 0'7 x 0'55 inch in 

 breadth, and, like the eggs of all the other species, of a pearly- 

 white colour." 



"As I remarked above, Pardalotus uropygialis belongs to the 

 same section as P. melanocephalus, P. rubricatus, P. xanthopygius, 

 and P. punctatus, all digging tunnels in the soft banks of creeks, 

 watercourses, &c., to nest in. On the other hand, P. affinis, and 

 P. striatus (and, according to Mr. Gould, P. quadrigintus also), 

 select holes in hollow branches of lofty trees, where they construct 

 a dome shaped nest of grasses, just as the other species do at the 

 end of their tunnels. The eggs in all instances are white, oval, 

 and rather pointed." {Ramsay, P.L.8., N.S.W., Vol. ii., p. 110, 

 1877.) 



Hah. Derby, N.W. Australia, Port Darwin and Port Essington, 

 Gulf of Carpentaria, Dawson River, and recently found at 

 Rockingham Bay. (Ramsay.) 



