THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
Eggs. Three to four eggs usually form the clutch. A clutch of three eggs taken at Mount 
Faulkner, Tasmania, on the 25th of November, 1893, is pure white. Swollen ovals 
in shape ; surface of shell fine, and slightly glossy. 16-17 mm. by 12. 
The Nest, which is composed of grass and bark, etc., is placed in a hole or small hollow of a 
tree at heights of from 20 to 40 feet. 
Nest. Placed at the end of hole ; cup-shaped and composed of pieces of soft bark and grass 
Outside dimensions, 2£ inches deep by 5 wide. Inside 1£ deep by 2| wide. 
Breeding-months. September to January. 
Gould, who described this interesting species, wrote: “This species 
is, I believe, peculiar to Tasmania, where it inhabits the almost impenetrable 
forests which cover that island, particularly those of its southern portion. 
It is, I think, less numerous than either of its congeners, the Pardalotus affinis 
and P. punctatus, and appears to confine itself more exclusively to the highest 
gum-trees than those species. I found it very abundant in the gulleys under 
Mount Wellington, and observed it breeding in a hole in one of the loftiest 
trees, at about forty feet from the ground ; I afterwards took a perfectly 
developed white egg from the body of a female killed on the 5th of October. 
The weight of this little bird was rather more than a quarter of an ounce; 
the stomach was muscular, and contained the remains of the larvse of lepidop- 
tera, which with coleoptera and other insects constitute its food. It has 
a simple, piping kind of note of two syllables. In its actions it much resembles 
the Tits, creeping and clinging among the branches in every direction.” 
Mr. Frank Littler has written me : “ Fairly common in Tasmania and 
King Island only, and mainly met with in the south of Tasmania, rarely in 
the north-east. Owing to its small size and retiring habits it is the least 
observed of the Diamond-Birds. The general tone of the plumage assimilates 
so with the foliage of the trees that it is very difficult to detect. Furthermore 
it nearly always keeps amongst the topmost twigs of the trees and, unlike 
the other two species met with in Tasmania, rarely descends to the ground 
in search of food. The food comprises all descriptions of insects, procured 
among the foliage and from under the bark, and in obtaining them the bird 
displays great activity. In disposition it is very shy, quickly moving from 
the immediate vicinity should any real or seeming danger threaten. Breeding- 
months September to January.” 
This seems to be the rarest and most interesting of Pardalotes and to 
have the least known about it and the scantiest of literature in every way. 
Two subspecies can be admitted : 
Nesopardalotus quadrigintus quadrigintus (Gould). 
Tasmania. 
Nesopardalotus quadrigintus quadrigintus Mathews. 
King Island. 
228 
