POPULAR AUSTRALIANS 



or twice the old fellow appeared "fed up," to use an Aus- 

 tralianism, with being shadowed, and appeared disposed to 

 remove himself to one of the other waterholes near by. 

 This disaster was averted, however, and at length the wait- 

 ing photographer, from his observation post, was satisfied 

 that his subject occupied a position very little removed from 

 that marked by the bark. Then he closed his eyes and 

 pulled with all his might. It required some pressure to 

 release the shutter of this old camera. The result is a 

 faint and very disproportioned idea of the appearance of 

 the bird. 



In real life the Ibis does not stand ten feet in his bare 

 feet, as the picture suggests, but about one-fifth of that 

 measurement. The lack of proportion is caused by the 

 undue conflict of the bird with trees, and with the large 

 building in the background. This in turn has been the 

 result of the camera being operated from the ground, an 

 unnatural position. The large building referred to is the 

 Meredith Railway Station. The Straw-necked Ibis feeds 

 upon grasshoppers and other pests, and well deserves the 

 worship which the Egyptians bestowed on their form of 

 the species. The back of the Straw-necked Ibis is a beau- 

 tiful glossy black, and the underparts snow white. Its 

 name is derived from the straw colour of the neck and upper 

 breast. 



On one occasion, several years ago, we came very near 

 to obtaining pictures of a most interesting subject. While 

 spending a short holiday at Warrandyte, we discovered the 

 hanging nest of the Olive-backed Oriole in a gum sapling 

 at a fair height above the ground. We shinned up and 

 disturbed two foolish-looking young birds just about ready 

 to leave home. Whether ready or not, they left, and we 

 captured them on the ground below. They sat for us, with 

 a considerably bored expression, on a stick while we made 

 ready to picture their parents when they should arrive to 

 feed them. In about an hour it became apparent that our 

 first experience of the Oriole was not likely to be successful, 

 but we persevered. Heavy clouds obscured the sun, how- 

 ever, just at a time when our subjects were becoming 

 courageous, and we had to desist. We photographed the 

 young birds as they sat, and the result was the most laugh- 

 able bird picture we have taken. The expression of utter 

 stupidity which our negative showed, we have found to be 



