Difficulties of Collecting. 69 



his own glass, but of all those I have tried none has 

 been so good as this glass for my purpose. The power 

 which magnifies nine diameters can be focussed and 

 used perfectly easily with one hand, which is a great 

 advantage, the definition is excellent, and although 

 the "field" is not large, the glass is so light that 

 it can be moved about quickly and with a little 

 practice even a flying bird can be "picked up" 

 immediately. 



In this country of dense bushes and tame birds a 

 knowledge of the notes of the birds was most valuable 

 and a great saving in time. By a systematic identifi- 

 cation of the performers all the commoner notes were 

 quickly learnt, and then an unknown or doubtful sound 

 proceeding from a thick bush at once drew attention. 

 By means of their notes many of the rarer and smaller 

 birds we obtained were first detected. For instance, 

 one day I had got to the fringe of the wooded tract of 

 country and had reached the beginning of the desert 

 when I heard the sweetest possible little note proceeding 

 from a thorn bush. The bush, although quite leafless, 

 was so thick with green shoots that I could see no bird 

 in it, but the note was so soft and delicate that I knew 

 it must have been uttered by a tiny bird. I went some 

 paces away and waited. After a time four or five most 



