BIRDS OF OUR BUSH 



have, for a time, followed the apparently helpless parents 

 instead of the genuinely helpless young birds. 



Chats' nests are very common during July and August 

 in the open paddocks along the Darebin Creek, where furze 

 and other small bushes are popular nesting sites. The 

 eggs are small and in colour pearly white, dotted sparsely 

 with reddish brown, principally at the broad end. Quite 

 often the spots develop into blotches of considerable size, 

 and eggs of this kind are very pretty. 



The Blue Wren pictures appearing in this book were, 

 with one exception, obtained in the suburb referred to. Our 

 experience with the Blue Wrens is probably greater 

 than with any other species. In fact, our practice of 

 falling back on this and a few other favourite birds to com- 

 pensate for failures elsewhere, has often drawn forth an 

 accusation of wastefulness. However, we have always 

 been perfectly satisfied to add to our records of this little 

 fellow when there has been a dearth of other subjects. 



There are quite a number of interesting points about the 

 habits of this energetic creature, and, \vhile our time has 

 been primarily devoted to obtaining pictures, still we have 

 endeavoured to devote some thought to an explanation of 

 their ways. 



One serious accusation made against the male bird — 

 unfortunate male — is that his inclinations are distinctly 

 mormon, and that he contravenes all the laws of righteous- 

 ness by indulging in quite a number of wives. We are con- 

 vinced, as a result of our observations, that the practice 

 does not exist — not, at any rate, to anything like the extent 

 claimed. The apparent preponderance of females over 

 males can, we think, be accounted for in either or in both 

 of two ways. We have found the Blue Wren to differ 

 from many other birds in the fact that the advent of the 

 nesting season and its attendant responsibilities does not 

 seriously affect the sociability usually shown between mem- 

 bers of the species. They move about, fight and feed 

 together just as before, although their nests are invariably 

 placed at a little distance apart. 



It is this sociability of one or other of the birds 

 with its neighbours during the time when its mate 

 is necessarily engaged elsewhere, that accounts for the 

 slander on the Wren's character On almost every occa- 

 sion that we have attempted to photograph a Wren 



