Batkv, Bird-Life Sixty Years Ago. [,^t 



Emu 



July 



observation this bird has increased. At Diggers' Rest, one mile from 

 Jackson's Creek, they nested in a boxthorn hedge at the back of a house. 

 On the Creek Bkie Wrens are very tame —pick up crumbs about the yard, 

 pick meat off bones, and if no person is about, and a door be left open, 

 boldly enter a room. Have caught them and clipped their tails, when it was 

 found that they came again as usual. 



Black-AND-Whitk Fantail {R/n'pidurn tricolor). — This species has a 

 very wide range. In Riverina it is known as the " Shepherd Bird." Always 

 to be seen at Jackson's Creek, and continues to nest there. An albino once 

 took up its quarters in garden. We as young folks were very proud of this 

 unique bird, but one day its feathers were discovered : the rascally house 

 cats had destroyed it. 



White-shafted Fantail {RJiipidura albiscapd). — Still constant, though 

 I never knew it to breed with us. Once saw its nest on Mt. Macedon, not 

 far from Camel's Hump. 



Shining Flycatcher {Myiao^ra nitida). — I have fallen in with not more 

 than half a dozen. It is a rare bird, is only seen while the migrating season 

 lasts, and is found singly in tall trees. 



Restless Flycatcher {Sisiira inquietd). — From 1846 and some years 

 later this bird was frequently met with, though not numerous. It dis- 

 appeared prior to i860. My duties as rabbit inspector at Gisborne for two 

 years took me over every inch of that shire, and I was at Newham for some 

 months. Throughout, in the careful exploration of both localities, 1 never 

 located a Sisura. Going by two years ago one bird was seen at Redstone 

 Hill. 



Ground-Thrush {Gcocichla liwulata'). — Though continually moving 

 about Jackson's Creek after Ducks or fish, it was not till 1870, as near as 

 can be minded, that this handsome bird became known to us. Since then 

 it has shown itself rarely. 1 have chanced on solitary Ground-Thrushes on 

 those parts of the stream where small patches of scrub still exist near the 

 edge of the water. The 1870 specimen was pronounced by Mr. W. J. S. 

 Bowie to be the same species that frequented the Yarra near the Asylum 

 when his father had charge of that institution. In all I do not suppose 

 over half a dozen have appeared since 1870, one of which was taken in a 

 rabbit trap. The scrubs of Mt. Macedon are haunted by this bird, for in my 

 explorations there it has been frequently met with. 



Satin Bower-Bird {P/i/o?wrhy/!c/iiis violaceus). — This with us in early 

 times could be put down as a frequent bird, appearing in autumn or early 

 winter months, and on rare occasions made a long stay. The last at 

 Redstone Hill was in 1851, when a small party arrived, amongst which was 

 a mature blue-black male bird, the first seen on the place. Since 185 1 this 

 Bower-Bird has not visited the area, neither has it to my knowledge been 

 met with in the region round about. The Hurst family, on the old cattle 

 station at Diamond Creek, not far from Melbourne, 40 years ag''o informed 

 me that the Bower-Birds visited that line of country, where they attacked 

 fruit. 



E.MU-Wren {^Stipiturus malachtirns).- Rather out of bounds ; only seen 

 once, at Bald Hill, in rushy grass. Noticed in swampy covers at Mt. 

 Macedon. 



Little Grass-Bird {Meij:;aliiri(s orai)iineiis).~ h.\\ occ?ciw\rA\ bird. The 

 grass swamp, where it lives, when wind-stirred, gives forth a weird sound, 

 but if the weather is dull and this bird gives forth its plaintive whistle the 

 two combined are quite melancholy. 



Short-hilled Trkr-Tit {Smicromis l)rc7'irosfris).—¥\om 1846 up to 

 about 1854 a permanent, in parties of four or five, never numerous ; and 



