POPULAR AUSTRALIANS 



an attempt at photography. In any case, these birds would 

 probably be difficult subjects to photograph. One drought 

 year in the Meredith district the pretty little Cockatoo 

 Parrakeet, well known, we believe, in the neighbourhood of 

 the Murray River, appeared in numbers, although not pre- 

 viously known in the locality. They nested in rail fences 

 and small trees — anywhere, in fact. We had one in a cage 

 some years later. After laying eight white rounded eggs, 

 it succeeded in eating its way out of prison and departed. 



Far back in our very young days, when we shot with a 

 pea-rifle instead of with a camera, our efforts were often 

 directed towards the little Musk Lorikeet, or Green Keet, 

 which congregated in noisy flocks in the gum trees. As 

 the latter name indicates, they are small green birds, very 

 pretty to see, though anything but musical to hear. We 

 learned nothing of their nesting habits in these shooting 

 days, but proved many a time the extraordinary tenacity to 

 life of this and most other species of Parrots. The Lori- 

 keet does considerable damage at certain seasons amongst 

 the orchards, and this fact accounted for the wholesale 

 slaughter in which we participated. 



In the mountain timber round and about the Gully, we 

 frequently saw and heard the large Black Cockatoo which 

 associated in small flocks of eight or ten birds well back 

 from the busy highways. Frequently, also, we saw evi- 

 dence of its search for food under the bark of large trees, 

 limbs of which were stripped bare. Timber-loving grubs 

 form a stable item in the menu of the species. 



Two other species of Cockatoo are distant acquaintances 

 of ours also. The dark grey and red-headed Gang Gang 

 in country similar to that beloved of the Black Cockatoo, 

 and the common Galah, or Rose-breasted Cockatoo, in the 

 open plain timber. The two birds are frequently confused 

 by the casual observer, though little resemblance will be 

 noticed when the species are seen together. 



The Black-faced Cuckoo Shrike, frequently, though 

 erroneously, called the Blue Pigeon, is a graceful bird of 

 slaty grey plumage and with a black face. It nests fairly high, 

 and for that reason has escaped our attentions so far. The 

 nest, furthermore, being very shallow, is not easily seen 

 from beneath. Except in size, it much resembles that of 

 the little Brown Flycatcher. The eggs, usually two in 

 number, are dark green, thickly blotched with purple and 



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