510 



NESTS AND EGGS OF AUSTRALIAN BIRDS. 



boggy watercourse. It contained some beautiful ferns, notably a 

 pretty coral-like variety fGhicheiiia ), which in places entwined itself 

 up the sciiib to a height of ten or twelve feet. There were also a few 

 sassafras trees. One of the saplings I felled, to sei-ve as an alpenstock, 

 and a very gi-eat assistance it was in such rough country, while its 

 wounded bark emitted a highly scented and pleasant perfume. 



In the fifth gully we came across deserted prospectors' diggings. 

 Nearly all the watercovu-ses show specks of gold, and experts state that 

 payable reefs may yet be discovered in the district. However, all that 

 we found of interest in oiu' Une were two old Lyre Birds' nests. 

 They were conjoined and placed between two fern trees. The top one 

 was probably last year's nest, the underneath one the preceding season's. 



Tlie sixth and seventh gullies were much alike in character, indeed 

 all the courses ai-e thickly timbered, with as much lying on the 

 ground as is standing. It rcquii'es great perseverance and energy to 

 travel through such counti-y ; the greatest difficulty is clambering over 

 huge dead trees and other decayed fallen timber, which at all times are 

 damp and slippeiy, but especially at this period of the year. You 

 never know where your next footstep will land you. For instance, 

 when you step upon a greasy tree-baiTel it is extremely doubtful 

 whether your foot will sHp up, or down, or over the side. Should 

 you surmount the obstacle successfully the chances are you may bottom 

 a crab or earth-worm hole up to your knees in mvid. Tliis country is 

 favourable for the great earth-womis that we hear so much about, but 

 read very little of. Their size varies from three to seven feet. Tlicy pro- 

 duce subterraneously a peculiar sucking noise when receding rapidly into 

 their holes. In such coimtry you can only afford one eye to look for 

 nests, while the other is reserved to na\ngate the scrub and observe 

 locality, because, be it remembered, there is nothing ea.sier than to 

 get bushed in such heavily-timbered ranges. 



By this time it was late in the afternoon, and we directed our 

 thoughts homeward. We decided to make the eighth gully the last, 

 to beat it to its source, thence again gain the top of the range. This 

 gully became more enchanting as we neared its spring. The banks 

 gradually steepened on either side, where, tliickly studded, were noble 

 tree-fems, whose dark-brown trimks were overgrown with mosses, 

 hchens, and parasitical fenis innumerable, and their long gi'aceful fronds 

 which met overhead, quite darkened and softened the picture. With 

 such charming glimpses of primeval nature, the sense of smell was 

 equally satiated by the powerful and delightful aroma that floated in 

 the air from the blossoming sassafras above. 



Along this secluded sylvan arcade I proceeded slowly and carefully, 

 feeling assvired that some Lyre Bird would choose such a romantic 

 situation for its nest. I could hear my companion crashing throvigh 

 the timber up-hill. As I crawled from underneath a large fallen log. 

 I instinctively cast an eye on the right bank, and my delight can be 

 imagined when I espied the third nest ba^-ked up against a sassafras 

 tree, with the entrance full in my face. I sent out a " coo-ee-ee " to 

 my companion that made the hills ring again, at the same time the 



