YELLOW ROBIN, HONEYEATERS AND OTHERS 



several times. The negatives of the male bird obtained on 

 this occasion were just on the wrong side of the border-line 

 which marks our standard of excellence. Eventually the 

 female bird fed the young while perched on our hands. 



The nests of both species are saucer-shaped, and built 

 of twigs, grasses, and rootlets. Very often the eggs may 

 be seen from beneath. The breeding season commences 

 about October, and continues till the end of the year, or even 

 later. 



Once or twice, in the dense timber, we have run across 

 a rarer species of Whistler, one little known, and altogether 

 dissimilar, so far as boldness of colouring is concerned, 

 to the two species mentioned. This bird is known as 

 the Oliveaceous Whistler on account of the general olive- 

 brown appearance of its upper plumage. The throat is 

 whitish and is streaked, while the underparts are reddish 

 brown. The note of the Olive Whistler is a clear musical 

 whistle. 



There has been much controversy lately as to the 

 usefulness or otherwise of the Cormorants. They are cer- 

 tainly fishers, and as such undoubtedly conflict with the 

 aims of human fishers. Our one observation of the Little 

 Black Cormorant, however, found him engaged in the com- 

 paratively harmless occupation of ''fishing" for frogs. The 

 popular designation for any species of Cormorant, namely, 

 the "Shag," is probably better known to most readers. 



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