I 
LITTLE TIT. 
the Eucalypti of the plains, and the belts of Banlcsice being equally resorted 
to by it. Minute insects constitute its sole food, and in the capture of these it 
exhibited many lively and varied actions, which strongly reminded me of those 
of the Regulus cristatus of England.” 
Mr. T. P. Austin has written me from Cobbora, New South Wales : “ By 
no means numerous anywhere in this district, but they are sparingly dispersed 
through the scrubby country, mostly resorting to the higher branches of the 
larger trees, seldom observed in the bushes beneath or upon the ground. Even 
when nesting they often associate in small communities of about half a dozen 
birds. The nests somewhat resemble a small round ball of green moss, usually 
placed in the topmost branches of a pine or other small-leafed tree ; they are 
sometimes warmly lined with feathers and fur, others having very little lining, 
if any. The birds are extremely jealous about their nests, much resenting the 
approach of an intruder : all I have found by seeing the birds building have 
been deserted before an egg was laid, and they make a great fuss if the tree 
containing their nest is climbed while they have young. Although I have 
found a fair number of their nests, I have never yet examined one containing 
eggs.” 
Mr. E. Ashby’s notes read : “In South Australia I have met with the 
subsp. mathcwsi Hart, mostly in Native Pine ( Calitfis ) country. In the forests 
of this tree to the east of the River Murray it is very numerous, also in similar 
situations on the foothills on the east side of the Mount Lofty Ranges, in the 
Pine Scrub near Port Adelaide and in the Peppermint ( Eucalyptus odorata ) 
scrub about sixty miles north of Adelaide. It is evident that its habitat is 
always in the drier country with a rainfall of approximately 15 in. or under. 
It seems to have no loud call comparable to that of A. pusitla and is a quiet 
bird. The Calitris scrub extends on the sand ridges right from the River Mupay 
east across the Victorian Border in more or less disconnected woods bordered 
with Mallee. The continuation of this scrub right through well into the Mallee 
of Victoria suggests that A. pygmea of Milligan may be the South Australian 
race mathewsi as one would hardly expect a second species to be specialised 
in what is really the same belt of scrub.” 
Mr. J. W. Mellor has written: “This little Tit I have noted in South 
Australia and also in New South Wales. I collected specimens, both young 
and old, at the Tuggera Lakes, New South Wales, some years ago : they were 
in country bordering these shallow lakes, but in South Australia I have observed 
it in hilly country along the ranges.” 
Captain S. A. White states that he has “ met with this bird in small parties 
in the tea-tree scrubs along the Coorong and it is a lively little bird, often found 
high up in the trees.” 
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