OTHER RARITIES 



and we had little difficulty in inducing them to face the 

 camera. But is was quite impossible to make instantaneous 

 exposures. As a last resource, we used time exposures of 

 a couple of seconds' duration, and were surprised to find 

 that the results showed no signs of movement. As an 

 experiment we gave, in one case, an exposure of ten 

 seconds, and even this picture was quite clear and sharp. 

 We must admit that our early remarks about the useless- 

 ness of time exposures is rather discounted by this ex- 

 perience, but the stillness of a mountain gully allows of 

 exposures which would be impossible elsewhere. 



The week-end house at Ferntree Gully also afforded us 

 opportunities for observing two rare and beautiful species 

 of Robins. A black and white Robin and two red-breasted 

 Robins have already been mentioned as inhabitants of the 

 open country. Here we have two species with pink breasts. 

 One species is called the Pink-breasted and the other the 

 Rose-breasted ; but we have, more than once, had a little 

 difficulty in distinguishing them when apart. Once their 

 acquaintance has been thoroughly made, however, they may 

 be readily recognised. The breast of the male Rose- 

 breasted has much more the character of red in its com- 

 position than has the bright pink of the Pink-breasted male. 

 The head and back of the Rose-breast, moreover, is of a dark 

 slate colour, while in the Pink-breast this is replaced by a 

 dull black. Unfortunately our experience of these interesting 

 species is limited to observations of the birds, and does not 

 extend to their nesting habits. 



On the outskirts of the popular township of Belgrave, 

 in the Dandenong Ranges, a pair of the Rose-breasted 

 species evidently have their headquarters, as we have 

 noticed them about the same locality three seasons follow- 

 ing. A close watch of their movements on each occasion 

 convinced us that they were not nesting. They flew from 

 post to post before us as we walked, and chased each other 

 with every indication of a full enjoyment of life. We often 

 wonder whether the collector's gun has yet ended their joy. 



Of the Pink-breasted species we have had more exten- 

 sive experience, though even that does not amount to much. 

 Probably we would have succeeded in locating a nest before 

 now were it not for the fact that, if a photographer would 

 obtain pictures in the darkness of the Mountain gully, he 

 must devote considerable time to the subject in hand, and 



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