BIRDS OF OUR BUSH 



brown markings. The flight of the bird is undulating, and 

 its note a harsh gurgle. 



Our experience of the Pigeon family has been limited to 

 a distant acquaintance with two species. The Bronze- 

 wing Pigeon is a bird about the size of the common pigeon 

 which inhabits our city buildings, — by no means rare, but 

 of habits which render a close friendship unlikely. Once 

 years ago we discovered a nest, but unfortunately had no 

 means of obtaining the portrait of its owner. It was built 

 on the horizontal branch of a small gum-tree near which 

 we happened to be camped. The female sat on her two 

 white eggs with apparent unconcern at our proximity. In 

 this instance, at any rate, the stick nest was so frail that 

 the eggs could be plainly seen from beneath. The general 

 appearance of the bird is brown, while the legs are red. 

 As the name indicates, the wings have a beautiful bronze 

 sheen, exactly similar to that of the wings of the Bronze 

 Cuckoo. 



The Wonga Wonga Pigeon is a much larger bird, and is 

 really rare. We were fortunate enough to obtain a fair 

 view of one of them on a densely timbered hillside at Fern- 

 tree Gully. Its slaty-grey back and white underparts 

 mystified us at first. Both of the species mentioned feed 

 on seeds and fallen fruits. 



The Southern Stone Plover, commonly called the "Cur- 

 lew," is a large open country bird, unfortunately becoming 

 rare. It stands about twenty inches high, and has a 

 streaked grey plumage which harmonises well with the 

 class of ground which it frequents. The eggs are laid on 

 the bare earth, and are also protectively coloured. 



We have seen the species only once in its natural sur- 

 roundings. The lightly timbered plain country around 

 Meredith suited them admirably until such pests as foxes 

 and firearms in undeserving hands, thinned them out con- 

 siderably. An extended period of watching, and a very 

 diligent search failed to disclose a nest of the pair of birds 

 mentioned. 



One dark night, while feeling our way up the hill to 

 the Gully house with the aid of a wire fence which led in 

 a convenient direction, we came face to face with a 

 young Frogmouth staring wide-eyed at us from one of the 

 posts. His sudden and unexpected appearance gave us a 

 creepy ghost feeling, but we secured him nevertheless. We 



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