IVESTS AND EGGS OF AVSTKAUAN BIRDS. 



419 



ported itself whilst helping itself to a delicate mouthful. During 

 nesting-time the birds arc bolder than ever, and will not hesitate to 

 attack a dog if lie ventures too near the youngsters. Several times 

 wlien forcing my way through the scx-ub on liands and knees 

 to try and see the Lyre Bird dancing on the mound, I have 

 been defeated by getting too near their nests, as they at once set up 

 their call, and in a few minutes dozens of them wore flying round me, 

 which was so good a hint to the Lyre Bird that it at once stopped 

 its mimicking or whistling and made itself scarce." 



Riding along the Mun-ay frontage, near the Moira Lake, early (at 

 suni-ise) one April morning, I was agi-eoably sui-prised to hear from the 

 living lines of gums that protected the river the voices of numerous 

 Bell Birds. I hardly expected to find these birds so far inland, and 

 I drew rein to listen to the chiming of the " ting-ting " notes that were 

 piercing the crisp air of that delightful mom. 



Then away in the sub-tropical parts of New South Wales, near the 

 Tweed River, I have another pleasant reminiscence of Bell Birds. 

 I recollect hearing their voices floating through a splendid forest of 

 ironbarks f Eurtih/phis) and pines, where trcc-orchids with clusters of 

 3'ellowisli flowers beamed from the trees as we passed in the coach, 

 while the ground scrub around was rendered attractive by the presence 

 of the .stately figiu-es of feni-trees, palms, and cycads. 



Tlic Darling Downs (Queensland), is probably the most northerly 

 habitat of the birds. Here I must give Mr. Hennann Lau's own 

 description, taken from his MS.: — 



" Bell Bird. — Tlic outskirts of the so-called cedar scrubs have often 

 favoured water tracts emerging either from the thickets or are kept 

 in rocky enclosures. Here is where these interesting birds gather in 

 numbers, sending forth their short, varied, bell-hke notes, which tell 



the stray and thirsty wanderer that water is near 



In clumps and circles of prickly shrub belonging to the .solanaceous 

 family, adapted much by the lichens, the Bell Bird resorts for nidifi- 

 cation. Often h.avo I found three nests in one little bu.sh, advantage 

 being taken of the lichens — the only material used for building 

 purposes, except the lining, which is taken from a fibrous tree. The 

 eggs are two, rarely thi-ee. — Highfields, twenty-two miles north of 

 Toowoomba, October, 1875." 



There is, of course, a focus to the breeding season of the Bell Bird, 

 probably August or September, but like many other Honeyeatcrs, some 

 breed early, others late. Some years ago Dr. D'Ombrain took a Bell 

 Bird's nest after Ea,ster. while a relation of Dr. Snowb.all took a pair of 

 eggs the first week of May (? April), 1896, at Drouin, and shot the 

 parent bird for his collection. Tlie same season, in another part of 

 Gippsland. a correspondent of Mr. C. French, jiui., noticed young birds 

 at the end of June. 



On the other hand, Mr. George H. Morton, who wa-s enjoying his 

 summer vacation at Gippsland Lakes, reported he had found a nest of 

 the Bell Bird containing eggs. New Year's Day, 1889. Tlierefore, 

 between these two extremes may be taken as its breeding soa.son. 



