80 THE USEFUL BIRDS 



I had transferred to a cage, and about which I was making 

 notes. 



" The spring before (1897) I had noticed a similar case, so, 

 when in August, 1898, I found a pair of males attending one 

 female in a very isolated patch of cover, which could be easily 

 seen, I determined to watch them right through. 



" From the first it was evident that one male had the 

 happy possession of the female, and that the other male was 

 tolerated either because it could not, or would not, be driven 

 away. When the female was on the nest the two males 

 were apparently friendly enough, fed, hunted, and camped 

 together. 



"One day, when I was watching a Magpie-Lark building 

 its nest, a female Wren (a stranger) came into the tree. Both 

 males at once attacked it. For five minutes their bills were 

 clipping like shears, when the poor little female took flight 

 for the nearest cover, pursued by both of its tormentors. 



" When the young were hatched out, on the 28th October, 

 both niales fed and attended to them, and right on to 

 the present time (20th June) the partnership continues. 

 This being the third instance of such conduct in three 

 successive seasons leads one to assume it is not an isolated 

 example. 



" In June, 1897, I had completed the building of a large 

 heap of logs preparatory to the burning, and I was intently 

 watching the actions of a White-throated Tree-creeper, which, 

 having secured an unusual prize — a meal-worm — was making 

 a long task of killing it. Tree-creepers do not seem as expert 

 at such work as other birds, for a Robin would have finished 

 it in a few seconds. 



" There were some Wrens about at the time, and one female, 

 seeming as much interested as I was, twice sidled close up to 

 the Tree-creeper, and was rewarded with a couple of sharp 

 pecks in order to make it mindful of its own business. 



