BIRDS OF OUR BUSH 



us have been built in such a locality, we have decided to in- 

 clude it here. It is a fine-looking bird, of pleasing build, 

 and of graceful flight. The sexes vary considerably. The 

 male is black above and white below ; it also has a con- 

 spicuously white shoulder, which accounts for its name. 

 The female is a plain brown bird. The nest is prettily 

 constructed of grasses, and covered with cobwebs ; it is 

 usually shallow, and in this respect somewhat resembles the 

 home of the Brown Flycatcher. 



The photographer who discovers a convenient nest of 

 the species and finds the owners trustful, will, if he takes 

 our advice, lose no time in picturing them. Exactly the 

 same exasperating habit common amongst the Honeyeaters 

 is possessed by this bird. Its ardour cools very quickly. 

 Each of our experiences of it has ended in this way, not- 

 withstanding a show of bravery at first which raised our 

 hopes to a high pitch. 



Amongst the most common of our creek-side birds, and 

 as one of the most pleasing, must be mentioned the Grey, or 

 Harmonious Shrike-Thrush, appropriately named, be it 

 said. It is a rousing and sweet songster, whose full rich 

 note fills the narrow wooded gullies with music, the incom- 

 parable music of Nature's orchestra, never ending and free, 

 but sadly unappreciated. 



The Thrush is rather a large bird, comparatively, 

 amongst his creek-side neighbours, yet it lives peaceably. 

 Unlike many larger birds, it appears to find no pleasure in 

 the persecution of the smaller creatures of its kind. It is 

 diflficult to call to mind a very common and well-known bird, 

 to which its size approximates. Probably the introduced 

 Blackbird would approach it most nearly. Male and female 

 are alike, or so nearly so that it matters not to any but the 

 scientist. Both are slaty grey in general appearance, and 

 their build is graceful. 



In the Meredith district Thrushes are numerous, and 

 their nests, in our day, were often discovered, and too often 

 robbed. We hope that may have changed by now. The 

 species shows a disposition to build year after year in the 

 same position. Each season one pair of birds, well-known to 

 us as well as to other youths in the district, built, or rather 

 reconstructed, their home in a niche of the rocky face of an 

 old quarry. This pair were favourites, and ran little risk 

 of being robbed. The position was too dark to admit of 



176 



