FANTAILS, THRUSHES, SILVER-EYE. 



There are four species of Cuckoo known to us. Two 

 are small and very much alike. These are the Bronze 

 Cuckoo and the Narrow-billed Bronze. The other two are 

 larger, and are known as the Fantail and the Pallid species. 

 All have weird whistling calls, and one or two of the species 

 may be heard calling throughout the night. 



On Phillip Island we found Cuckoos fairly numerous, 

 and a little Striated Tit whose nest hung in the topmost 

 branch of the beach tea-tree, soon found a young Bronze 

 Cuckoo the sole occupant thereof. The rightful heirs to 

 the home we found on the ground beneath very much the 

 worse for wear — but perhaps it was just as well. When 

 one saw how completely the Cuckoo filled the cosy interior 

 of the nest, one realised that any other occupants would 

 have had little chance of obtaining suflficient air and food to 

 keep body and soul together. 



Anyway we hauled up the camera and fastened it before 

 the nest. We were anxious to obtain pictures of the little 

 foster-parents feeding the large youngster, but the Tits 

 thought differently, and we had eventually to incline to their 

 view. We, however, operated upon the young bird himself 

 in several positions. The picture on page 181 will show 

 how eff"ectively he filled his tiny home. 



Days after we heard his monotonous cry of everlasting 

 hunger, and saw the energetic foster-parents doing their 

 utmost to satisfy his wants. If they were disappointed 

 with the result of their labours, they certainly did not show 

 it. To the human eye they appeared particularly proud of 

 the chick. 



Tits, Wrens, Scrub-Wrens, Honeyeaters, and many 

 other small birds are common foster-parents of the Cuckoo. 



183 



