BIRDS OF OUR BUSH 



explaining our gaunt and underfed appearance as indicated 

 in some of the photographs. 



Upper Ferntree Gully has been our principal hunting 

 ground, and here we were so fortunate as to have the con- 

 venience of a week-end house as headquarters. Further, 

 the Ferntree Gully district is a fine one for this class of 

 observation. Our visits to the locality usually commenced 

 in July and ended in January. In this time it was not 

 unusual for us to spend at the house twenty-six week-ends, 

 working hard all the while. The few intervening week- 

 ends were spent at Greensborough or some other favourite 

 locality. 



The July and August visits to the Gully were parti- 

 cularly strenuous and uncomfortable, our object being 

 to discover the nest of the Lyre Bird, odd pairs of which 

 still survive the gun and the fox in the deep gullies 

 thereabout. Our quest led us through the roughest 

 and dampest country in the roughest and dampest 

 weather. Often we followed on hands and knees for 

 miles through mud and slush as the birds worked from 

 one gully to another, disturbing the while quantities of the 

 soft loam with their large powerful feet in their search for 

 food. Frequently we were within a few feet of them on 

 such occasions, or as the male danced on its mound. Yet 

 our quest of a nest has so far been in vain. By the end 

 of August numerous species had commenced nest building 

 in the open country, and we transferred our attentions 

 thence. During these week-end jaunts wind and weather 

 caused no abatement of our efforts. Darkness alone 

 deterred us. Such trifles as meals and the like were for- 

 gotten while daylight lasted, and not infrequently Satur- 

 day night's tea was our only proper meal from Friday to 

 Monday. 



We have visited many other localities within easy 

 reach of Melbourne, and of course we could not boast a 

 week-end house at each. When we found it necessary to 

 spend the night at Greensborough, Evelyn, Eltham, or else- 

 where, we either sat before a fire or walked all night. We 

 have never yet been able to sleep on any kind of camping 

 trip. We must be colder mortals than most. Probably 

 we are, for companions who sometimes accompanied us, not 

 only succeeded in sleeping through the coldest nights, but 

 also in spoiling what little chance we had of doing likewise 



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