STRIATED TIT. 
whose song is only heard when one is very close. It resembles a Honey-Eater 
in some of its actions as it moves about in front of a honey-laden flower. It 
also hovers in front at the very end of the foliage picking off many insects 
which other birds do not attack on account of their position.” 
Mr. J. W. Mellor writes : “Is a common bird in the ranges in South 
Australia, being found in the Mount Lofty ranges in numbers and is a quick 
actioned little bird, living principally about the tree tops and prying into the 
thick bunches of leaves with unerring accuracy after small insect life.” 
Writing from Cobbora, New South Wales, Mr. Thos. P. Austin states : 
“ The only time I have seen the present species in this district, was on December 
29th, 1914, when I shot a pair in the topmost branches of a fairly large tree 
growing in thick scrub.” 
Mr. Edwin Ashby states : “I have found the Striated Tit to be a common 
bird in the wet heavily timbered districts of New South Wales, Victoria and 
South Australia. In this latter state it is very numerous throughout the higher 
altitudes of the Mount Lofty Ranges where it prefers the hilly timbered country 
whereas A. pusilla prefers the thick bushes of the creek beds and valleys.” 
A. G. Campbell, criticising Kangaroo Island forms, wrote : “ There is no 
difference between specimens from the island and those from the mainland. 
The little voices of this species were always heard among the glossy foliage 
of the sugar gum-trees, and were also noted in white gum timber inland.” 
S. A. White, writing of Mallacoota bird forms, stated : “ Numbers of these 
birds were met with in the timber country. They were incessantly moving 
and uttering their sharp little clicking note. On comparing specimens it was 
found that the Mallacoota birds being very dark on the back, most resembled 
the Kangaroo Island specimens.” 
The first form of this species to be distinguished was comparatively recently 
when De Vis got a strange little bird from Charleville, Queensland, and regarded 
it as a new species and named it Acanthiza modesta. When I prepared my 
“ Reference List ” my series showed that at least four subspecies could be 
separated and therefore I distinguished : 
Acanthiza lineata lineata Gould. 
New South Wales. 
Acanthiza lineata modesta De Vis. 
Queensland. 
Acanthiza lineata chandleri Mathews. 
“ Differs from A. 1. lineata in being much darker above and browner below. 
Olinda, Victoria. ” 
Victoria. 
Acanthiza lineata clelandi Mathews. 
447 
