BIRDS OF OUR BUSH 



stand the comparative rarity of genuine pictures of the 

 species. 



This little bird is protected by Nature in many ways, 

 and fairly effectively, too. It is protectively coloured, it 

 is a ventriloquist of no mean order, and, not deeming these 

 means of protection sufficient, is a very shy and wary bird 

 as well. It is small wonder that we had long speculated 

 as to the origin of its mournful whistle before we caught 

 a glimpse of the quiet little brown owner as it flitted noise- 

 lessly from one bed of reeds to another. In 1912 we first 

 made an investigation of the elusive note, which, though 

 quite full and distinct, we could not definitely trace to any 

 particular portion of the reed beds. We sat in the cover 

 of some bushes and waited. After a time we had several 

 glimpses of the birds as they moved across the open spaces, 

 but a long and diligent search failed to disclose any sign 

 of that which we sought. A little later on, however, we 

 did locate the remains of an old nest, which helped materi- 

 ally in our search the following season. 



Before nesting commenced in November of the next year 

 we were able to obtain answers from the birds to our imita- 

 tions of their call. In fact, they several times showed a 

 considerable degree of curiosity as to their new neighbours. 

 Later, when they had settled down to the serious business 

 of nest building, they wisely refrained from any conversa- 

 tion with strangers. It was useless for us to attempt a 

 search of the whole of the great beds of reeds and rushes 

 in the vicinity, so we again adopted waiting tactics and 

 watched. We soon caught several glimpses of our sub- 

 jects fluttering quietly to and fro. After somewhat over 

 an hour spent thus, we arrived at the conclusion that their 

 home was in a small strip of rushes directly in front of 

 us. By a diligent search through water well over our 

 boot tops we at length located it just as we had begun to 

 doubt the correctness of our judgment. It was an untidy 

 structure which, nevertheless, harmonised so well with 

 the rushes that it escaped notice until we conceived the idea 

 of looking through the rushes for a dark spot against the 

 background of water. Rushes and grasses were used in 

 its external construction, but the inside was lined cosily 

 and carefully with feathers. Some nests of the species 

 are built with a hood of the same material forming a roof 

 over the eggs ; but this one, as well as three others we have 



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