NUMEROUS SMALL SUBJECTS 



builders, and their nest, a neat structure of stringy bark and 

 grasses, is a marvel of bird architecture, considering the 

 fact that it is built in the darkness of the tunnel. Our 

 partiality, as photographers, to this little bird has two 

 causes. First, the extreme trustfulness of the adults ; and, 

 secondly, the ease with which their movements, or those of 

 any other birds building similarly, may be foretold. They 

 can enter the nest by one means only, and the operator dis- 

 poses his forces accordingly. Such is the reputation with 

 us of this species that it is quite a common practice, if 

 towards the end of the day we have failed to obtain any 

 pictures, to visit one or other of the many spots we know 

 to be beloved of Diamond Birds, and there relieve our dis- 

 appointment by watching and picturing them to our hearts' 

 content. Anyone who knows how disappointing it is to 

 walk all day without achieving any result, will not accuse us 

 of wastefulness in picturing birds, such as these, of which 

 we already have a fairly complete record. 



Our reliance on the trustfulness of the Pardalote has 

 once or twice led us into difficulties. On one occasion, after 

 singing the praises of the species to an observer, who had 

 evidently not found them tractable, we volunteered to give 

 him an opportunity of experiencing their charm. He 

 readily agreed, and endured quite light-heartedly a four-mile 

 walk on a scorching day, to the particular sand-pit selected. 

 Three or four hours of torment by flies and mosquitoes, 

 and of thirst unquenched, was rewarded only by an occa- 

 sional glimpse of the birds at a distance of several yards. 

 Apparently the nest contained, at the time, neither eggs nor 

 young, otherwise this pair of birds, friends of three seasons, 

 would not have been guilty of such conduct. We three 

 walked home in the cool of the evening feeling very glum, 

 the visitor especially. The pictures we have of this bird 

 are amongst our best, as the reader will be able to verify. 

 This, no doubt, is due partly to their trustfulness and partly 

 to the position of their home. Those two advantages 

 eliminate the greatest of the many difficulties which beset 

 the bird-photographer. 



The bird pictured on page 119 had its nest stowed away 

 in a small hollow log lying on the ground. Young birds 

 could be distinctly heard inside, and when the parent 

 arrived with food to satisfy their wants, she found the 

 front door of her home closed with a piece of stick, which, 



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