THE USEFUL BIRDS OF SOUTHERN AUSTRALIA. 285 



twice, and sometimes thrice, in the season. It must be 

 noticed, also, that the European birds now acchmatized here 

 are of a strong and vigorous type, having ancestors accustomed 

 to human habitations for centuries past. Our native birds, 

 on the contrary, have only seen houses for a comparatively 

 few years, hence they retire and keep to the bush as buildings 

 increase. But not so most of the imported ones ; these find 

 a retreat among suburban gardens, and although heavy toll 

 is paid by those that make open nests, in consequence of the 

 raids of domestic cats, boys, &c., yet, by laying two or three 

 clutches, they steadily increase. . . . Many other kinds 

 than those most adapted to towns and cities have also been 

 imported and liberated from time to time, but have not 

 succeeded in establishing themselves. Perhaps this is just as 

 well in some cases. It is probable that those that did not 

 thrive were not so local in their habits, and therefore lost 

 touch. One of the other causes may be that Australia is a 

 big country, and a further one that they may not have been 

 imported in sufficient numbers, or have been turned out in 

 unsuitable localities. The birds that have succeeded are 

 mostly omnivorous, and both the reputed seed-eaters and 

 insect-eaters will frequently eat fruit when it is to be obtained, 

 but during the rest of the year live on their natural food." 



