BIRDS OF OUR BUSH 



The height of the breeding season is towards the end of 

 November. The eggs are usually two or three in number, 

 and are of a ground colour between a slaty stone and green, 

 with blotches and markings of brown and dark stone. The 

 young birds, when fledged, little resemble the parents. They 

 are of a mottled brown colour, and difficult to distinguish 

 from the surroundings. 



The female of this species, and that of the Flame- 

 breasted Robin, the other Red-breast known to us, resemble 

 each other greatly. The female Scarlet-breast, however, 

 very often has a very faint wash of red on the breast, which 

 the female Flame-breast never has. Otherwise they are 

 plain grey birds, with a marking of lighter colour on the 

 wings. 



The males of the species are easily distinguished. The 

 back of the male Flame-breast is of a dark grey colour, 

 instead of a glossy black and the red of its breast is less 

 vivid, but continues the whole length of the underparts of 

 the body, instead of covering the breast only, as in the 

 case of the Scarlet. The most easily remembered differ- 

 ence is in the patches of white, which appear on the fore- 

 head of each species. In the Scarlet-breast this mark is 

 large and prominent. In the Flame-breast it is smaller, 

 and much less noticeable. 



The appearance of the Flame-breasted male may be 

 gathered, minus the colouring, from the picture reproduced 

 on page 130. This picture was taken some years ago at 

 Olinda, a small township about seven miles from Ferntree 

 Gully. The photograph has a history. We were spend- 

 ing the Christmas holidays at Olinda, and sallied out on 

 Christmas Day in the quiet aftermath of a severe thunder- 

 storm. In a cleft in a large stump, right in the township, 

 we noticed a nest, and, with the best of intentions, threw a 

 small stone safely wide of the mark for the purpose of prov- 

 ing whether or not the dilapidated-looking home was 

 occupied. We were surprised beyond measure by the 

 angry tones of a resident opposite, who enquired whether 

 we had any sense or not, trying to destroy a bird's nest. We 

 assured him of several things in retaliation, and went on. 

 The resident had proved for us, however, that the nest was 

 a good one, and we watched it surreptitiously. When the 

 young birds, which we soon discovered resided within, left 

 the nest we captured them and conveyed them beyond the 



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